Tsitsipas reflects critically before the US Open: "I have lost to players I wouldn't have lost to a few years ago"

Andrés Tomás Rico - 23 Aug 2026 | 19:45
ATP Stefanos Tsitsipas US Open 2026

The Greek will play in the ATP 250 in Winston-Salem to gain match practice before the US Open: "The few matches I have played on this tour are the reason I am here."
 

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Tsitsipas reflects critically before the US Open: “I have lost to players I wouldn't have lost to four or five years ago.” Photo: Getty Images

Stefanos Tsitsipas continues to strive to find his best tennis. After a series of significant changes in his career and having avoided dropping out of the Top 100, the Greek finds himself in the middle of the ATP ranking, but his North American hard court tour has left much to be desired with early losses in Montreal and Cincinnati. Therefore, before heading to the US Open, he has decided to participate in the ATP 250 in Winston-Salem to gain the necessary match practice.

Stefanos Tsitsipas talks about the recent changes in his life

"I have had many ups and downs, that's for sure. I also went through a phase where I was testing two different rackets. I am a player who has never changed or made modifications throughout my career. I was very superstitious and quite closed-minded. Especially with equipment. And the last eight or ten months have been quite difficult because I have been experimenting with small changes to my gear and my equipment. I have gained some things with those changes, but I have also lost others. Playing and feeling certain things can sometimes make you doubt whether the change is really positive or not."

"In recent weeks, I have established a solid foundation. I am not going to make any more changes from now on. I just hope that this stability and mental peace can finally give me something solid behind. That will allow me to take my game to the next level and have a bit more consistency in my day-to-day life."

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Tsitsipas acknowledges that this year has been far from his best level

"It has been a complicated year. I have achieved some really good victories, as you mentioned. But I have also lost to players I personally believe I wouldn’t have lost to four or five years ago. So yes, it is concerning that there is so much inconsistency in my performance. Because this year I have won against several top players, but I have also lost to quite a few who are probably outside the top 30 or top 40."

"I am trying to build something healthier in terms of my performance and the consistency of my game. The few matches I have played on this tour are the reason I am here, that's pretty clear. And I haven’t had many matches. I played in Montreal and Cincinnati earlier, but it wasn’t enough to build that rhythm before the US Open."

Tsitsipas states that he has no good memories of his past appearances at the US Open

"The US Open has been the Grand Slam that, to be honest, hasn’t left me with many good memories. Most of my great memories in Grand Slams have been built at the Australian Open and Roland Garros. Wimbledon has also been a complicated Grand Slam for me."

"I feel that I have always performed below expectations there. So those two tournaments are probably the ones I like most in terms of memories, great moments of triumph, and that kind of thing. I have had some good victories, but the word consistency is probably the one that best defines what I have not had at that particular tournament."

Stefanos Tsitsipas and the importance of constant improvement

"Sometimes we lose sight of the importance of improvement and evolution as players. There comes a time when you are constantly chasing victories and will literally do anything to get wins. But the problem is that sometimes you lose the process of improvement."

"Because if you only work around things that make you feel comfortable when you win, it’s hard to actually try experimenting with aspects that don’t feel as comfortable when you play. In my case, I feel I have held onto my patterns for too long. I have always sought comfort and security instead of taking more risks and playing a more daring and evolved tennis. Tennis in which you accept making a small mistake or playing a bit shorter than you thought, but trying to get something more out of the situation."

Tsitsipas explains the differences between the best in the world and the rest of the players

"These are the things I have seen in the best players in the world. They literally capitalize on the smallest opportunities and the minimal moments they have, and they go for them by playing high-percentage tennis. And I feel that there have been moments when I have been too passive as a player. My tennis is not meant to be played passively. I am a tall player, I have great physical leverage, a lot of reach, and I can hit very hard. I can play aggressive and powerful tennis, and sometimes I feel that I have settled for playing too safely."

Tsitsipas is now thinking long-term

"We have a long-term vision. The vision is within two, three, four, or five years. It’s not about whether you are going to win tomorrow or next week. That’s not what matters most to me. I would like to see that mindset of: “We are training for something bigger in one or two years.” And we are constantly pursuing that big improvement that, in the end, will bear fruit. I have started going to bed earlier. I am a night owl; I always have been. I feel I find peace and relaxation later at night when everyone is sleeping. And my biggest inspirations and my best moments always came very late."

"So I have changed that version of myself and have become more of a morning person. In the last six months, I would definitely say I am more of an early riser. I do my routines earlier during the day, and I am much more disciplined in my life. And honestly, I couldn't be in a better place in my professional life right now because of how I am building habits and executing small details every day to try to take my game to the next level. If there is a disciplined version of myself, this is the most disciplined version I have seen in many years,” concludes a Stefanos Tsitsipas who seeks the necessary consistency to be one of the best tennis players in the world.
 

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Tsitsipas hace autocrítica antes del US Open: "He perdido contra jugadores contra los que no habría perdido hace unos años"