Stefanos Tsitsipas says that playing on clay cleanses his soul

French Open

Jonhenry Wilson
May 31, 2023

Stefanos Tsitsipas really loves playing on clay and he isn’t afraid to let it show.

Tsitsipas would go over all philosophical when talking to RolandGarros.com. The Greek believes that clay gives a lot to those who are willing to give a lot in turn.

“It’s a cleansing of the soul,” the world No 5 said. “It’s just like a knife. You let the old pass and you start with the new.

“It’s a great feeling when you step out on a newly made clay court that is clean. All the lines are perfect. It makes for a very pleasing visual experience.

“But there’s also beauty on when the courts are dirty and messed up and you can see all of the footwork and effort that has been put in and you have a visual of that, of how much work has been put in in order for you to succeed in what you do.

“It’s a spiritual type of surface.”

Tsitsipas says that the fun factor is always there on a clay surface which offers players a chance paint their own masterpiece.

“We do this everyday. There’s lots of suffering, lots of pain that goes into this work that we put in,” added the 24-year-old.

“I always call it the show, sometimes it can be easy to forget this is meant to be fun, less of work and more a game. We’re not in an office, we’re outside playing tennis and travelling all round the world.

“This is a very special job we get to do and adding a little bit more fun into it makes it more lasting and contributes to our well-being very much.”

Tsitsipas hopes to keep the momentum he has gained over the last few seasons going as he continues to improve.

“I get excited when I see personal records being set and broken,” stated Tsitsipas. “Of course it’s a great satisfaction to be seeing those stats, because there is so much work behind it, and sometimes it’s difficult to grasp the fact that it all happened so quickly.

“I just wish to keep on going. I wish to be healthy and to be fighting for more titles and breaking personal records but also records that haven’t been set before in tennis.”

Tsitsipas just wants to keep things simple as the elite game complicates his life.

“Tennis can be very complicated for some, especially people that see more of the glass empty rather than the glass full,” Tsitsipas added.

“It’s a mindset. There are moments where it feels like a mountain, and I have been through that, and I have had phases in my career where it felt like a giant mountain.

“There are other phases of my career where it just felt so effortless and so simplified and easy that it’s just a joy to be playing the game. Tennis is just trying to figure it out; what works best for you, where your strengths are, how can you pull through when difficult circumstances or moments come about.”

Stefanos Tsitsipas