The acquainted environment of Melbourne are offering a degree of consolation which may propel Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas to a grand slam breakthrough on the Australian Open which he known as his “dwelling slam”.
A fourth semi-final berth prior to now 5 years awaits ought to the world quantity three conquer unseeded Czech Jiri Lehecka, who has by no means beforehand been previous the primary spherical at a grand slam, of their quarter-final showdown on Tuesday.
Tsitsipas gained his technique to the ultimate eight with a hard-fought, five-set win over Italy‘s Jannik Sinner and stays the highest-seeded participant within the males’s draw and on a path to his first last at Melbourne Park.
However whereas the 24-year-old’s tennis has been elite all through the event to this point, Tsitsipas revealed simply how a lot consolation he felt, with the circumstances, town and the individuals in Melbourne and the way becoming it will be to take out his first grand slam title there.
“I grew up in a local weather that may be very comparable right here, from the place I come from in southwestern Attica. It at all times jogs my memory of dwelling a bit of bit once I‘m right here,” he stated after his victory.
“The circumstances are comparable. It’s not very humid, it‘s not very tropical. I can say it’s much like the Athenian Riviera. One more reason, one other plus is wherever I look I see Greek faces, I see Greek individuals talking Greek.
“In fact, it‘s essential whenever you’re distant from dwelling to have that type of feeling, to attach much more with the tradition that you just‘re at. It feels very welcoming whenever you‘re in a position to stroll round and really feel that.
“It‘s for positive my dwelling slam, I might contemplate that, sure, ‘trigger Melbourne is the second-biggest metropolis after Athens with the most important Greek inhabitants. I might contemplate it my dwelling slam.
“The French individuals have Roland Garros, the Brits have Wimbledon, the People have US Open. For me it‘s the Australian Open.”
Regardless of being the very best remaining seed within the males’s draw, and a $1.14 favorite to take down Lehecka to maintain his event alive, Tsitsipas stated he wasn’t feeling any further stress.
“No, no. I play my sport. Titles come if I play good. That takes care of itself, I feel,” he stated.
“Should you‘re in a position to play the very best you possibly can produce on the court docket, I really feel like the remaining simply follows naturally. It‘s a pure circulation of issues. Placing stress on your self … we‘re all coping with stress once we‘re enjoying.
“For us, we’re on the market on a unique race each single time, a race with totally different circumstances, a race with a unique participant by our aspect. That‘s I feel one thing that almost all gamers are centered at.
“You need to keep current, in any other case in case your thoughts wanders round, creates type of situations, conditions, that‘s not likely how one can play I feel and peak in your efficiency.”
