Stefanos
Tsitsipas wants to move past the disappointment of the
Olympic Games and sets
his sights on returning to the top 10. The Greek player is currently ranked
world No. 11 after an inconsistent year but hopes to quickly reclaim a higher
position as he competes in the Canadian Open.
The former
world No. 3 debuts this Wednesday against Japan's
Kei Nishikori at the start of
the hardcourt swing. Tsitsipas had a good run at Paris 2024 but fell in the
quarterfinals to eventual gold medalist
Novak Djokovic, 3-6, 6-7.
Tsitsipas targets top-10 comeback
Tsitsipas
is ready to move on from the Olympic Games disappointment as he prepares for
his debut at the Canadian Open. In his first appearance at the tournament in
2019, Tsitsipas was the surprise of the draw, reaching the final without being
seeded but ultimately losing to Rafael Nadal.
Reflecting
on his performance at Paris 2024, especially the loss to Djokovic, Tsitsipas
said, "I felt like I was playing well at the Olympics and I had a big
advantage against him in the second set. And honestly, I felt like I had some
good opportunities in that match. It was disappointing to see myself lose with
a double break advantage in that match."
"But
at least I can say that I did my best and I lost against the champion, the gold
medalist of the Olympic Games. I did my best. Having played good tennis at
Roland Garros, at least getting any medal at the Olympics would have been a
dream of mine," Tsitsipas added.
Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Olympic Games
"I
didn't pay much attention to when and the possible pairings; I'm not that type
of player. I try to make the most of my opportunities regardless of the draw
and I hope to make my way in this tournament this year. It's normal that after
an Olympic tournament with certain medal goals, you arrive here with great
expectations."
"It's
not easy to play after an Olympic tournament; there will be many absentees.
Half of the players will start on Wednesday, and I will have to try to make the
most of the matches I played in the previous weeks. It would have been
different if I had come here with a medal, but my medal for this week will be
to try to get closer to returning to the top 10," he explained.