Stefanos Tsitsipas said he is getting back to his best by easing the burden on his shoulders and playing without any expectations as he cruised into the fourth round of the French Open with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Diego Schwartzman on Friday.
Once considered the rising star to take on the mantle as the “Big Three” — Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic — give way to a new generation, 24-year-old Tsitsipas has yet to win a Grand Slam.
The Greek lost two major finals to Djokovic, including this year’s Australian Open title clash, and has seen younger players like Carlos Alcaraz emerge and rise to world No. 1.
Photo: AFP
However, Tsitsipas said he has changed his mindset to play with a carefree attitude and not focus on the result, which helped him beat claycourt specialist Schwartzman in straight sets.
“I’ve produced some really good tennis when I’m at a psychological state of ‘nothing matters and I don’t care anymore.’ And I just want to play it, I don’t care what the outcome will be,” Tsitsipas told reporters.
“And [in] moments like this, I have broken back. I’ve suddenly found my rhythm back into the game. I guess there is lack of expectation, lack of thought ... when you’re out there because you’re constantly analysing every decision.”
Tsitsipas was at his sublime best against Schwartzman, firing 34 winners past the Argentine, including one of the shots of the tournament, a sliding backhand winner around the post that drew a roar from the crowd.
“We never practice that, it was a one-off,” he said with a laugh. “It was the very last millisecond when I decided: ‘You know what, forget the net, we don’t need it on that particular occasion.’
“I saw there was a gap there I could utilize and it just went through,” he said. “It was a very good, satisfying feeling getting that winner down the line... It felt like hitting a home run.”
In other games in the men’s singles, Djokovic battled into the fourth round for a 14th consecutive year, while Alcaraz also progressed, but Andrey Rublev was dumped out.
Djokovic was made to work hard by Spanish 29th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who served for the first set and missed a set point in the second, but won 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Alcaraz thrashed Canadian 26th seed Denis Shapovalov in a night match, powering to a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 victory.
Italian Lorenzo Sonego battled back from two sets down to knock out Rublev and reach the last 16 for the second time.
The world No. 48 was two points from defeat during a fourth-set tie-break, but prevailed 5-7, 0-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 after 3 hours, 42 minutes.
In the women’s doubles, Taiwan’s Wu Fang-hsien and partner Ingrid Neel of Estonia were beaten 6-2, 6-1 by Taylor Townsend of the US and Canada’s Leylah Annie Fernandez.
Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching and Latisha Chan beat Kazakhstan’s Anna Danilina and Timea Babos of Hungary 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.
In the mixed doubles, Chan Hao-ching advanced after she and partner Fabrice Martin of France defeated Jan Zielinski of Poland and Australia’s Ellen Perez 6-2, 6-2, but sister Latisha Chan was eliminated when she and partner Hugo Nys of Monaco were beaten 6-3, 6-3 by Matwe Middelkoop of the Netherlands and Indonesia’s Aldila Sutjiadi.
Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Nicolas Mahut of France advanced with a 6-4, 1-6, 14-12 win over Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia and Spain’s David Vega Hernandez.
Hsieh and Mahut are to play Chan Hao-ching and Martin in the second round today.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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