'I want to finish the season in the top-3,' said Stefanos Tsitsipas

World no. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas claimed his first Masters 1000 title in Monte Calor last week, adding the second notable crown to his tally after the ATP Finals from 2019.

Stefanos will try to repeat that result in Barcelona this week, feeling confident about his game and setting high goals for the rest of the season. The Greek would love to finish the year inside the top-3 and compete at the ATP Finals for the third straight year.

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"The Monte Carlo title gives me a lot of confidence; I'm happy to lift that trophy, and it was a great week overall. I'm the leader of the ATP Race, and that's very important. I know many players behind me want the same, and the idea is to score points every week and be consistent. I'm aware that many rivals will try to beat me; that's why I have to improve my game and continue at this pace, especially in notable tournaments.

Winning the essential crowns is one of the reasons why we play. That's why I loved playing tennis since I was a kid, seeing Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic winning big titles and wanting to be like them. My next goal is to finish the season in the top-3; it would be exciting. I have played at the ATP Finals for two years, and I want to repeat that in Turin.

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2021 Barcelona Open Draw with Nadal, Tsitsipas, Rublev, Schwartzman

I played in the final here in Barcelona in 2018, when I was only at the beginning of my ATP journey. Facing Rafael Nadal wasn't easy, and I learned a lot from that match. Rafa claimed 11 Barcelona titles, and it's inspiring for everyone. This year's line-up is strong; I like the conditions and hope to play on a high level," Stefanos Tsitsipas said.