Stefanos Tsitsipas just continues to win on clay, with Cam Norrie his latest victim at the Rome Open.
He has been thriving in 2024 thus far, and seems on track to enjoy a year laden with silverware.
That is, despite a blatant internal turmoil which he has now sought to explain, likely exacerbated by the news of his split with Paula Badosa.
Having made a scene in his win late last week, he was desperate to explain why he did what he did against Jan-Lennard Struff.
Stefanos Tsitsipas outlines his internal frustrations
Speaking to broadcaster Prakash Amritraj after his win over Great British star Norrie, live on Tennis Channel, the Greek tennis star was as upbeat and poetic as ever.
Seeking to delve deeper into his internal turmoil when asked about the reasons behind smashing up racquets, he offered a unique insight into how it actually helps him on the court rather than hinders him.
After all, in his comeback win over Struff, he would destroy his racquet within five minutes of the match.
Now we know why, as he noted: ‘I don’t tend to have moments like this a lot in terms of racquets flying away and putting my anger on the racquet, but it does alleviate some of that frustration and pain that I’m going through during the match.
‘Sometimes it does help a lot, it does bring a fresher outlook on things. It does help clear the mind.
‘I knew I was going downhill from that point and there was nothing more that I could do to go further down so every single small thing that I added to my game, it felt like a breath of fresh air again.’
Stefanos Tsitsipas is thriving on clay this season
Tsitsipas has always been a threat on clay, and it is no wonder that of the seven Masters finals he has reached, all but one were on this surface.
Not to mention that he also made it to that same stage at the 2021 French Open, where he was felled by Novak Djokovic.
However, this year he feels even more deadly than ever, with the statistics backing that up. In 2024, the 25-year-old boasts 12 wins on clay and has lost a mere two, with an 83.3% win rate.
Even in 2016, where he won 33 and lost seven, his win ratio only came out at 78.8%.
He is supremely proficient when stepping onto a clay court, and knows exactly what it takes to claim victory. As such, he already has the Monte-Carlo Masters title in the bag, and was felled in the final in Barcelona too.
Madrid marked an upset, but he seems back on form in Rome and ready to compete again.
Given the weakness of Roland Garros too, which has left Andy Roddick stunned, Tsitsipas will have a quiet confidence that he might be able to end his Grand Slam hoodoo too.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
