Stefanos Tsitsipas has dismissed suggestions that he is battling physical problems at the 2023 ATP Finals in Turin, but admits he must play better if he hopes to claim the title again.
The world number 6 tennis player lost in straight sets against Jannik Sinner in the first match of the ATP Finals group phase. He was unable to create a single break point opportunity and made a total of 17 unforced errors. For the second time in a row he lost to an Italian tennis player after he lost when they met in Rotterdam earlier this season.
In recent days, rumors have emerged that the Greek tennis player is facing problems with his elbow or back after choosing to end his training session in Turin early. When asked at a press conference whether he had undergone a scan on his lower back, the 2019 ATP Finals champion insisted he was fit.
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“I am fine and I am ready to play this tournament. Turin is one of the most important tournaments of the season for me. I am healthy. I’m ready to compete,” said Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The tennis player, who recently said that he sees the end-of-season tournament as a more prestigious tournament than the Grand Slam, is aiming for the end-of-season tournament title for the second time after the 2019 season. Although he faces a tough task as his next opponents in the group stage are Novak Djokovic and Holger Runes.
“I have two more games and hope for the best. “I hope I can stay here until the last day,” added Tsitsipas.
“That’s the beauty of the ATP Finals, this tournament isn’t over until it’s really over. You can always get up and you can always come back. That’s an interesting format. This tournament allows for incredible competition and for stunning comebacks that we don’t really see in this sport because it is a knockout based sport, one chance in each tournament.”
As for his future plans, the 25-year-old admitted that the key may be to take more risks in matches. This season he appeared in the end-of-season tournament for the fifth time but has only reached the group stage once and that was four seasons ago when he debuted in the tournament.
“I see this tournament as an opportunity for me to improve my game through greater risks. Why not? It’s a great tournament and I really want to do well here. At the same time, I want to try things that I believe I can achieve at a higher level,” said Tsitsipas.
Tsitsipas is one of four players who have won the ATP Finals competing in the tournament, joining Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev.
