Australian Open 2025: “I was hungrier before”, Stefanos Tsitsipas on the wrong slope

There wasn’t really a photo… Barely in, already out. Stefanos Tsitsipas, world No. 12, lost in the first round of the Australian Open against the American Alex Michelsen, 20 years old and 42nd in the ATP (7-5, 6-3, 2- 6, 6-4). It’s almost starting to become a habit for the first big headliner to bite the dust.

The finalist in Melbourne in 2023, three times semi-finalist of the tournament, is in fact doing as well as during the last US Open, where he had more time to enjoy New York than the courts of Flushing Meadows. At 26, the Greek, who shines above all for his romance on social networks with the Spaniard Paula Badosa, seems to continue his slow decline. And he himself agrees that he hardly resembles the young ephebe who revealed himself in the antipodes in 2018.

“I was fresher at the time, I was hungrier before,” he agreed at a press conference. I had this desire to succeed in tennis, to have a good start to my career. It’s different today. I have been well established for several years, I have seen the circuit, again and again, the same tournaments year after year. I know what it is. There was a different energy and dynamic before. »

For lack of being able to get up to date, like Zverev who was able to evolve to continue to claim his first Major (the German still has two Masters and an Olympic gold in his bag), Tsitsipas and his aesthetic but terribly anachronistic one-handed backhand found himself a has-been before his time. Swept away by the power of the new ATP leaders.

“When I arrived in 2018, the game was really different from today, it was not as physical,” continued the Athenian, who had chosen to withdraw from the doubles draw to save his energy. I have already won matches against Novak (Djokovic) where I had the feeling of playing well but not necessarily of seeking the most extreme version of myself in terms of intensity. Today the game really shifted towards that. The margins are smaller, there are no longer as many free points. Innovations allow players to serve even stronger than before. A few years ago the game was definitely less powerful, it was physical, of course, but not as much as now. »

Despite this terrible observation of helplessness, between self-persuasion or total lack of lucidity, the former No. 3 nevertheless claims that he is a better player than six years ago. But even so, that is no longer enough. “My shots were frankly less heavy than they are now, especially in terms of spin. I hit a lot more flat and watered a little more everywhere, he says. I still have the impression that this type of game would be even less effective today than at the time…”

Tsitsipas has no idea what solutions to find and seems almost resigned. “What bothers me is that I’m going to be here, wandering, for a while before my next tournament comes,” he says. With my competitive nature, I feel like these things aren’t really ideal for me. »