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CHINA OPEN


October 5, 2019


Stefanos Tsitsipas


Beijing, China

S. TSITSIPAS/A. Zverev

7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Overall how do you feel you played tonight?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, tough to say. I didn't play phenomenal, but I played smart. Smart is more important than phenomenal.

I did things right when I had to do them. Any overplay. I didn't go for crazy shots or crazy targets. Just, you know, mixed the game.

I was hanging in there and trying to suffer, trying to give it my all on the court, to play another five hours. That was the mindset I was on.

Q. You were down 6-3 in the tiebreak. What mindset did you have there?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Make every ball back. If the ball falls short, attack a bit more. Never let him feel comfortable with his shots, never feel like he can have options when playing.

I mean, that sums it up. That worked at that given moment. I just suffered to win those points.

Q. Three in a row against Zverev now. Why are you having so much success against him?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I don't know. I mean, I just think I played smart, that's it. All these times, I deserved to win because I did things right when I had to do them right. He didn't do the things right when he had to do them. That's basically why I've been winning the last three times. I haven't really counted, haven't really thought about it.

I don't know. I mean, I actually feel like I don't really have to do many things in order to either break him or to go the extra mile in my game. I just have to play simple and just be productive. It's not the case with many other players.

Q. Thiem in the final. What are your thoughts?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: He will be playing with a lot of intensity. I've played him many times. I know his game consists of a lot of intensity, the power and the speed he puts in every single shot.

He's in a good form. He's playing well. Just have to be serving well, playing well from behind, coming in. It's important for me to stay focused in the crucial moments, in the moments where things are going to be decided in a few points.

We have a similar game style. I feel more comfortable coming to the net. It's going to be the battle of the one-handers tomorrow, yeah.

Q. What did you tell yourself during the last changeover?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: You're going to break him now, which didn't happen. I said, If things don't go the way you want to during the next game, you will have to suffer and make him play as much as possible and not give him the freedom to do whatever he wants with the ball, have the upper hand in the rallies. Basically not play defensive, which is did the first three points. I got defensive, because I was trying to protect my side, which wasn't right.

I showed, I would say, good discipline coming into the net, volley cross, serving a wide serve, which was pretty much simple. Again, didn't overplay too much.

Q. You mentioned playing smart. You came to the net.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Repeat the question.

Q. You mentioned playing smart. You come to the net. Is that part of your tactics?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I like to come to the net. I would say just a little bit, more percentage more, with my forehand simply because I have a better view of the court, I guess. It's my most dominant, strongest shot.

I use it to come in. The more confident you feel with that shot, the more you're going to come in. Power, position, control of the ball, depth of the ball, all of that plays a very important role to come in comfortable, not give too much space to your opponent.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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