Tsitsipas laughs off temper tantrum
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS has laughed off a temper tantrum that saw him clip his father’s arm while smashing a racquet, and said he is feeling “good with his game” heading into the Australian Open.
The hot-headed world No. 6 lost his temper after dropping the first set to temperamental Australian Nick Kyrgios at the ATP Cup yesterday on his way to defeat.
He slammed his racquet into the Greek team bench, where his father and
Acaptain Apostolos Tsitsipas was sitting, catching him on the forearm.
It left his dad bleeding from a small cut, with his mother coming down from the stands to give him a talking to.
“It happened accidentally. I didn’t mean to do it and straight away forgot about it and moved on from there,” the 21-year-old said.
“It happens. I wasn’t aiming to do that, so it’s just it went out of control, unfortunately.”
Asked if he will be punished by his
BATTLING Nick Kyrgios earned a morale-boosting victory over world No. 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas yesterday, while Russia and Britain booked their spots in the ATP Cup quarterfinals.
Tsitsipas was on a roll after thrashing Alexander Zverev on Monday, but met his match in the temperamental Australian, who was on his best behaviour during the highquality 7-6 (9-7), 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (7-5) win.
“It was exhausting but a lot of fun. I knew it was going to be very tough… he’s an amazing player and so young and is going to do some special things in this sport,” said
Kyrgios, who missed his last match with a sore back.
“I’m just glad we got the win. There was a lot of respect out
FIVE-TIME Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova said the Brisbane International felt like “a second-hand event” with women relegated to outside courts to make way for men playing the inaugural ATP Cup.
The WTA tournament is being run alongside the Brisbane leg of the men’s new team tournament, which has taken over centre court at the Queensland Tennis Centre.
Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens blasted organisers on Tuesday, accusing them of favouring the male players and not respecting women, with Sharapova also weighing in.
“You definitely recognise it and notice it,” she said, with even Australian world No. 1 Ashleigh parents, he joked: “Maybe I’ll stay in my room for three days, grounded by my father.”
Despite his meltdown and loss to Kyrgios, Tsitsipas said he was happy with how he was doing heading into the opening Grand Slam of the year at Melbourne Park this month.
He has so far totted up just one win out of three, also losing to Canada’s Denis Shapovalov in two tough tiebreak sets while thrashing world No. 7 Alexander Zverev. there. He’s a good player, a good kid.”
Australia took the tie, with John Millman winning the other singles against Greece’s Michail Pervolarakis 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-1).
In contrast, Zverev cut a miserable figure after he meekly succumbed to another defeat, with the world No. 7 having some serious problems to iron out ahead of the Australian Open this month.
“Generally I’m not playing good, so there’s a lot of things that I still need to improve, but it’s the start of the season,” said the German after crashing to Canada’s Denis Shapovalov 6-2, 6-2.
“The first match (against Alex de Minaur) I actually thought I played okay – the serving was horrible -but then I played two very bad matches, but what can I do.”
His poor form contributed to the Boris Becker-led Germany losing two of their three ties.
Australia, along with Novak Djokovic’s Serbia, had
already
Barty, who is his hugely popular in Brisbane, relegated to an outside court.
“It feels like a little bit of a second-hand event.”
The ATP Cup’s last round-robin matches in Brisbane were yesterday, meaning the women can only play on centre court from today.
Under the ATP Cup’s innovative tournament rules, on-court coaching is allowed and team zones are in the corners of the court, rather than on the sidelines by the umpire.
Sharapova suggested this could be a reason why women were not allowed to share centre court.
“It’s definitely a bit of a strange strategic
“There’s nothing I’m worrying (about) right now. I feel good with my game, with my physical (condition),” he said.
“The only thing that might concern me a little bit is when I come close to matches I feel like I’ve lost this competitiveness within me.
“I remember a few months ago I had the tendency to be more in the zone, really, really concentrated and knew what I was doing, playing very aggressive,” he added. qualified for the last eight in the 24-nation tournament as winners of their respective groups and they were joined by Russia, with Britain also sneaking in.
The British were on tenterhooks, with their fate in the hands of Belgium and Bulgaria after they beat Moldova 3-0.
Belgium ended up crushing the dreams of Grigor Dimitrov’s Bulgaria in a deciding doubles clash and in doing so allowed Britain to win the group.
It was a cruel end for Dimitrov and his young team. They looked on track after Dimitar Kuzmanov thrashed Steve Darcis in the opening singles and Dimitrov took the first set in his showdown with David Goffin.
But Goffin bounced back to win with Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen clinching the doubles.
“Tough finding words right now. A very special feeling after pulling out the win today,” said Vliegen after beating Dimitrov and Kuzmanov 3-6, 6-4, 10-7.
Britain put themselves in contention by thrashing Moldova, with Dan Evans crushing Radu Albot and Cameron Norrie easing past Alexander Cozbinov before Jamie Murray and Joe Salisbury won the doubles. –
AFP move,” she said of favouring the men.
“I’m not sure (but) I heard that because the way that the court is constructed, that it’s not regulation for us to be playing on centre court with the benches on the side.”
Barty heads a high-quality field in Brisbane, which includes four of the women’s top five.
Stephens, who is on the WTA players’ council, said it was clear women had been sidelined.
“We just weren’t in the conversation to even be considered,” she said.
“It was what the ATP wanted – they got what they wanted, girls to the side, that’s kind of how it always is.” – AFP
“Sometimes I feel like I get too passive and I’m not really into the match, which, I don’t know, probably a few technical issues that I have to work on and not to think too much of my technique and work on my tactics more.”
Tsitsipas, who made the Australian Open semifinals last year, will play at the Kooyong Classic exhibition event in Melbourne next week as he fine-tunes preparations for the Grand Slam, which starts on Jan 20. – AFP