Tsitsipas describes what it's like to play in extreme heat at Roland Garros

Pedro de Pablos | 26 May 2026 | 15.31

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Stefanos Tsitsipas had a smooth debut at Roland Garros 2026 after the withdrawal of Alexandre Muller when only 11 games had been played. After the match, the Greek player went through the press area and highlighted what it's like to play in the extreme heat on court, an aspect that has greatly affected other players.

For instance, yesterday Casper Ruud suffered a setback that nearly cost him the match against Safiullin due to the conditions in Paris, but in Tsitsipas' case, it is completely different. As Tsitsipas himself acknowledges, the heat suits his game well since he is accustomed to playing with topspin on clay, which fits him perfectly, just like the opportunity to play on a big court like the Philippe Chatrier.

Tsitsipas takes Sinner's improvement as motivation for his tennis

Conditions in Paris and the heat

Well, I don't know how it affects others, but I tolerate it quite well. I don't recall having any issues with it in the past when playing matches in the heat. It has always seemed beneficial for my game. The ball has more spin when playing in the heat, and I believe it helps give my shots a bit more power. It doesn't bother me on clay. I consider it an additional challenge, and I am mentally prepared to always face it. I don't know how others react, but I just want to make the most of it, putting in my best effort, as it's almost, how I describe it, a matter of who handles it better. I mean, tennis is the priority, of course, but it almost seems to take a back seat when there's so much heat on the court.

Game changes due to the heat

I think it makes a lot of sense. Yes, it influences my game, as I mentioned before. I'm a player who likes to play with a lot of topspin on clay. I believe that's quite obvious. I try to use my topspin as effectively as possible, and the heat gives me a slight extra advantage in my game. It allows me to have a heavier, livelier ball, and I feel that my strengths are enhanced under those conditions.

Advantages of playing at the Philippe Chatrier

I love playing on courts like the Chatrier. I have fantastic memories of playing there. I have won many times on that court. I think it's quite normal that when you're not very high in the rankings, they assign you to play on a smaller court that you're not used to. Last year, I played, I don't remember, on court 8 or 7, or something like that. I didn't even know where it was. But well, it's part of the ranking. I have to win and perform well in tournaments to play on the best courts in the world. If I don't achieve those results, I feel my ranking drops, and then I have to start over, climb back up.

The central courts give you more space, especially on the return. You almost feel that the court is larger, even though it's not. It simply gives you the feeling that there are more places to play on the court when there's such a large clay surface. It's like... well, it doesn't show as much, I think, in the serve. Of course, what I have noticed while playing is that when I play on smaller courts, I tend to stand closer to the baseline, and then the serve becomes more performance-dependent because you feel everything is compressed and smaller. So, it does create a different visual illusion when playing.

Sinner's improvement since he defeated him in Australia in 2022

If someone had told me that he would be as good as he is now, it would have been hard for me to imagine back then that he would suddenly emerge, the way he did, practically winning everything (smiling). Even then, he played excellent tennis. I just feel that his game wasn't as structured as it is now. It now seems much more structured, and he uses a lot more variety. His forehand, from what I remember, used to be a weak point in his game, and now it has become solid from all angles.

He doesn't have many weaknesses. I believe that's what makes it difficult for most of us to play against him. His serve has improved tremendously. When I played against him, I don't recall his serve being that good. Now he finds his spots. He doesn't necessarily serve with great speed, but he knows how to find his points, especially in pressure moments, moments that really matter. He always looks for a first serve with a high success rate, and that gives him a great advantage in his game.

Motivation in seeing Sinner's improvement

Regarding myself, yes, what Jannik is doing is inspiring because it definitely shows that we all have the potential to improve our game and do more than we believe is possible. When you're at your best, you always think you're getting closer to your best tennis version. But after reliving that many times, I've realized that the version I had of myself back then didn't know what I can achieve today. I've had matches today where my level didn't even come close to what I've played in the past.

You can never set limits. You can always raise the bar. It's almost like the world record in the 100-meter sprint.
You always thought no one would be able to run the 100 meters in less than 10 seconds, but people keep breaking the record constantly. Usain Bolt was certainly someone with a very high record; it hasn't been broken in a long time, but I think there's a limit that can be surpassed. I believe that one day someone can come and break it. I also believe that in human biology, it's possible to surpass it.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Tsitsipas describe cómo es jugar con calor extremo en Roland Garros