Tsitsipas Won't Play Blame Game
Stefanos Tsitsipas took full ownership of his disappointing second-round US Open loss to Dominic Stricker Wednesday, dismissing talk that a change in his coaching structure in recent weeks was to blame for his lackluster showing during the North American hard-court swing.
Now having failed to reach the second week of the US Open in his six career appearances in New York, the Greek said that his decision to elevate former US Open and Wimbledon finalist Mark Philippoussis to head coach over his father Apostolos this month was not a factor in his sluggish form and in his 7-5, 6-7(2), 6-7(5), 7-6(6), 6-3 defeat to Swiss World No. 128 Stricker.
“By no means I'm supposed to put any blame on any people or any members of my team. Everything on court is under my control and under my talents, and the way I can play this sport are shown out on the court. If I'm not able to deliver, then I'm not supposed to be doing well,” Tsitsipas said.
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“That's what happened this summer. I was not good enough to deliver and score good results. I won't blame it on anything. It's just poor performance after Los Cabos.”
Since ending a 12-month title drought in Mexico, The World No. 7 won just two matches across the ATP Masters 1000 tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati and at the US Open. The two-time major finalist boasts a healthy 41-16 record on the year and at fifth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, he is on track to make a fifth consecutive appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals, a tournament he won in 2019.
The 10-time ATP Tour titlist also paid tribute to the free-swing performance of the 21-year-old Stricker.
“I have no reason to say anything. It was just pure competition. My opponent showed better tennis than I did. I want to congratulate him,” Tsitsipas said. “I consider myself a good player, and I don't want to be a person that can be beaten easily or I'm giving my opponents easy time on the court against me. I try to make it as hard as I can, and if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. I move on with my life.”