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Barcelona finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas says Spain is now very close to playing a home event on the ATP Tour.
Tsitsipas says that Spain reminds him a lot of Greece and the cultures are similar.
He says that Spain has always been very warm and welcoming to him.
“Cultural similarities, similarities in many things like food. Spain is very hospitable and a great destination for tennis,” said Tsitsipas.
“I always feel good playing here. “Greece has not yet had the right to host any tennis tournaments. So Spain is closer to me than Greece. That’s why I played so well here.»
Tsitsipas added that his run in Barcelona gave him a big boost of confidence after failing to make the Australian Open final in the following tournaments.
«It’s going well. I’ve got a lot of matches on clay now.» said Tsitsipas.
In terms of scoring well, I consider myself a candidate for this competition. My run in Barcelona brought me joy because I haven’t been deep in tournaments since the Australian Open. Now I get a first-hand look at what it’s like to be strong again. Things are very bright.
Tsitsipas identified Carlos Alcaraz as his favorite competitor in Madrid.
«It’s a long way to get to that point,» Tsitsipas said.
«We have two weeks here. I have to practice to improve things, that’s the only way I know to change something in the future. I have no other solution to beat a player who is a big obstacle for me.
«Carlos is a very hard-working person, you can see his dynamics on the court, his speed is great. He is a person with a lot of focus and dedication to the sport, which is hard to find. To get there, I have to spend hours on the court training, as well as in the gym. I have to spend hours working and hours in my classroom analyzing my past performances and trying to get better.
Tsitsipas knows it will be a tough road to the title at the Madrid Open.
I have to work hard in every game I play to get the results I want. And it’s a series of matches to get to the finals that I want,» he said.
Read more: Carlos Alcaraz leads the way for the next generation.
«A lot of players are in good shape at the moment, a lot of players are coming into the game. I’ve played a few matches over the last few weeks to give me an idea of where my strongest tools are and how I can win points on clay.
«Obviously we are dealing with a little bit of altitude here, which is different from Barcelona. I’m adjusting to that. It’s something I’ve done pretty well over the past few years. I like the height, I think it’s good for my game. I see it as a small advantage.
