Stefanos Tsitsipas – Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What were you most pleased with today on the court?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: The way I dealt with my attacking shots. I had a great success into converting those into unplayable shots, causing forced errors.

One thing that I was also pleased with, I have felt like there was a slight improvement on my returns. Despite not being able to break more often than I would have wished, I felt like I had some good, aggressive play from there.

It was an intense match. I mean, it was a first match. Those type of things that you get when you start with the tournament.

I felt good. I felt like there were definitely moments where I could have played maybe a little bit better or have been a little bit more wise in my decision making. I felt like those kind of things came towards the end. I started finding more and more rhythm.

Q. Has it been easy to get momentum so far this year? Do you need more matches…

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: More matches, for sure. I would have wished I had more matches. This is something that I’m lacking a little bit. A little bit more confidence. I feel like with wins, the more you win, the more confident you are, the more you feel like you’re unstoppable.

I’m just trying to get back into the win zone and extract confidence from those type of hard-fought battles, trying to win them.

When you manage to kind of play against the best players in the world, fight against them, really raise your level to its highest, you manage to overcome those matches and win, this is probably one of the best feelings for your confidence, knowing that you’re constantly improving and adding to your game.

Q. You play Khachanov next. Did you watch the match beforehand? Or because you know him, it’s not required?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I did watch. He was playing earlier than me.

He’s a good hard court player. I think that’s the surface that he plays the best at. I’m going to be faced aggressive tennis against him.

I think an important aspect of my game is the way I deal with my returns, how I execute those, what I do after the returns that I’m going to come up with. I’m going to try to put attention there, try and be as annoying to play as possible.

Q. He said earlier today he’s trained with you, played with you before here in Dubai in the off-season. How has that experience been playing with another top pro in Dubai?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, we are used to play against the top players here in Dubai. It’s not an uncommon place to do pre-season with other players. Last year I had at least four or five guys that I trained with.

For tennis players, we choose Dubai as our pre-season destination before the Australian swing. I’ve had practice sessions with him obviously. He’s a local here. He practices and spends a lot of time in Dubai.

So it’s rare having players out there that I haven’t practiced with. There are a few maybe exceptions, but he’s probably on the list of guys that I’ve practiced with the most out of the top 50 probably.

Q. Does that make tomorrow more intriguing in terms of you know his game so well, he knows your game so well?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: We haven’t trained to that degree. It’s not that we spend our school years in the same place (smiling).

I don’t remember the last practice we had. Probably a long time ago. Once you’re established on the tour for many, many years, people obviously understand what are your weaknesses and what are your strengths. There’s a much clearer eye of how each player approaches their game and what do they considered when they’re out there on the court.

At this point I’m someone who has spent years and years on the tour – such as him, as well. At this point we’ve faced each other plenty of times. We kind of understand the dynamics that goes into a match with a player like that.

Q. You and Paula won Mixed Madness at the US Open last year. Something a prototype for the new mixed doubles tournament that the US Open is installing. How do you look back on that tournament and whether you and Paula are planning to play?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: We are planning to play. She’s the mixed doubles partner I would always play with. I don’t have any other options out there or any other female player that I would want to play mixed doubles with. She’s always under my consideration and always someone I would want to share the court with.

Q. Are you playing with a different frame than the ones you used in Doha last week?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I can’t disclose this. It’s up to you to decide what that is (smiling).

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports