Tsitsipas has hope: "I believe I still have room to do many more things with my tennis"
The Greek player, who made his debut with a victory at the Australian Open, stated, "I feel that I have important weapons: forehand, serve, and backhand."
Stefanos Tsitsipas did not have an easy or convincing debut, but he managed to pull through. After falling in the first round of the Australian Open last year, the Greek did not want the same ghosts that made his 2025 forgettable to haunt him again. However, he showed patience and character to turn the score around in a bumpy match against Shintaro Mochizuki.
The Greek player secured the victory with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 result. In the press conference following his win, he discussed the challenging moments he had to overcome and how he enjoys facing such challenges. He reaffirmed his love for tennis and his intention to continue playing the sport for many years, all from his philosophical perspective.
Stefanos Tsitsipas analyzed his hard-fought victory in his Australian Open debut.
"I tried, so to say, to 'lock myself' in a small mental window and build points from there, seeing what I could do better. I think my opponent was very consistent: maintained the same intensity, didn't change the pace too much. He played with a very steady rhythm throughout the match, and there was nothing specific he did radically different."
"There were aspects I didn't expect from a player of his level and physique: for instance, he didn't come to the net as much as I imagined, although when he did, it worked quite well for him. He had the courage to come forward, rely on his best point construction, use the backhand, finish with the volley, and develop from that concept."
He was aggressive from the start
"Today, I was much more aggressive than in our previous encounter in Perth. I think I had no other choice. Surely, he also had in mind that he had to play more offensively than last time. Personally, I feel I have important weapons: forehand, serve, and backhand. When I position my feet well, I can create opportunities for myself."
"The question was when and how to use them in the right way. There were moments where I rushed, or where he confused me with some of his plays and didn't let me construct things my way."
He smiles when remembering his victory against Roger Federer in the 2019 Australian Open
"I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to continue doing today what I love. I have been through many stages in tennis: precious and incredible moments, and others that have crushed me, that have broken me. But my love for tennis has always been special. Nothing has filled me with as many beautiful memories and emotions as this sport I chose. All of this is beautiful; the entire journey is beautiful."
"Playing on center court, Rod Laver, seven years ago was a life dream. Winning was another life dream. It was one of the most magical nights of my life, overcoming that obstacle named Roger Federer. That night I struggled to sleep. And the best part is that when I remember it, a smile comes to my face: it's one of those memories that simply make you smile."
He wants to continue playing the sport of his life for many years
"I hope to build other great moments throughout my career as well. I believe I still have room to do many more things with my tennis. There were years when I wasn't where I expected to be, but it's never too late. Each year gives you a new opportunity. Hopefully, I can play until I'm 40 and have many chances and many tournaments to show what I want to show."
He explained his constant anger during the match
"I realized I was too angry; I'm not used to being like that during a match. But I felt that the only way to release that tension was to do it that way. I wanted something like a 'looser discipline,' let's call it that: not a rigid, closed, singular discipline. I wanted to give myself a bit more space within my discipline, and the only way to let it out was with that attitude. It helped, for sure. I'm aware that, psychologically, maybe it's not the 'right' thing to show myself like that, but I wanted to do it because I thought it would help me."
"The most important thing for me is being able to play matches like this, at this level, and enjoy it; even to enjoy the difficulty of the match. It's one of the greatest privileges a tennis player can have. The results are nice, yes, but being able to enjoy tennis through the challenge posed by different opponents, measuring yourself against players from around the world, is one of the most beautiful aspects of this sport. And being able to experience it even in difficult moments, to shout, complain, feel everything with intensity, with all your emotions, is a huge privilege. This is how I want to experience it from now on."
His goal in this Australian Open is...
"I want to see myself playing good tennis, that's the most important thing. It depends on the opponent. In every Grand Slam, no one enters with the perfect path; it's a magical journey. For me, living it to the fullest means being able to play my tennis, enjoy it, accept the difficulty of finding solutions against every type of opponent, find that small opening to slip through, and from that minimal margin, impose your game with your strengths and solve that puzzle. That's the most beautiful thing about our sport. My goal for this tournament is to enjoy tennis and find as many solutions as I can against each opponent I hope to face during these two weeks," declared a Stefanos Tsitsipas who started well in the Australian Open 2026.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Tsitsipas tiene esperanza: "Creo que todavía tengo margen para hacer muchas más cosas con mi tenis"