Stefanos Tsitsipas: Being In the Race Lead Is Very Important, I Want To Finish Top 3

Stefanos Tsitsipas isn’t shy about being the leader in the 2021 ATP points Race. The Greek has been the most consistent player on the season, and on the clay he’s won nine of 10 losing only to Rafael Nadal in the Barcelona final after holding match point and a Monte Carlo title over Andrey Rublev.

Tsitsipas, though, wants more.

“I’m really pumped for this week, for the next week as well. I feel like I’m getting close. I feel like I can create opportunities and maybe get to No. 4.

“I won’t lie, it’s something that has been in my mind. I don’t think there’s something wrong with it mainly because I’ve been working hard, I’ve been putting a lot of work in. I feel like that’s my opportunity to do something different.

“Of course, I’m far from there yet. I have to get these matches going, produce better tennis. We’ll have to fight again. It’s a new week for me. It will a new week for me in Rome. All these tournaments are important. They carry a lot of points. These tournaments are kind of opportunities for me to pursue something better.

“Right now I’m in the lead of the Race to Turin, which is very important for me. I want to conserve that and finish the year perhaps in the top three. That would be a good, fair goal for me for this year.”

Tsitsipas added there are still things he needs to improve upon.

“I would like to be more consistent on my serve, play with high percentage of first serve,” he said. “I would like to see myself come more to the net and have a higher winning percentage on net points won. Stuff like this is something that I’m aiming for, setting my attention towards these small details that will help me become a more aggressive and more complete player.”

Tsitsipas, who beat Nadal in the 2019 Madrid Masters before losing to Novak Djokovic in the final, returns this week in a good section of the draw. He could meet Felix Auger-Aliassime in the third round, Diego Schwartzman in the fourth and then he’s seeded to collide with Daniil Medvedev (or Matteo Berrettini) in the semifinals.

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