Stefanos Tsitsipas said he regretted not playing his usual instinctive game earlier in his 6-3, 6-2, 5-7, 4-6, 6-1 semifinal defeat against World No. 1 Novak Djokovic at the French Open on Friday.
The Greek, seeded fifth at Roland Garros, came back from the brink to force the Serbian into a decider, where a recent injury resurfaced and killed the tired Tsitsipas's chances. The World No. 6, however, believes he made a “huge mistake” by not being more instinctive early in the match on court Philippe Chatrier.
HIGHLIGHTS | FRENCH OPEN SEMIFINALS
“I wish I could have figured certain things earlier which, I don't know, I felt like it was a total demolition, the fact that I tried those things in practice and tried to implement them in the match,” Tsitsipas, who saved a match point in the third set, told a news conference.
“It was something new. I wish I wouldn't have tried these things and tried to stay to my ordinary and basic way of feeling the ball and also trying to dictate the game. I think that was a huge mistake today, that I tried this for two sets in a row, then came back to my old way of doing things.”
That more instinctive approach worked much better for the 22-year-old, who started to convert his break points, turning the tide in spectacular fashion and forcing Djokovic to man the barricades until the Greek ran out of steam. “He gave me a really difficult time on the court. Unfortunately towards the end of the match an injury that I had during my match in Rome came back,” said Tsitsipas.
“As you saw, it was a good comeback, and I think I played great tennis after that, except the fifth set, which I believe my body was not ready for,” he added.
“Physically I wasn't really there.”
Tsitsipas was hoping to become the first Greek to reach a Grand Slam final and while the defeat would have stung it was a marked improvement from his last semifinal appearance in a major when he was thrashed 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 by Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open last year.
“Well, if I think back at the Australian Open I was still a kid, and now I'm turning more into an adult,” said Tsitsipas.
“My thinking has changed. I've matured. I've been through a lot of things. I have grown from the people around me, my relationships, people in general... I have, of course, more experience in my pocket than before. I've played matches. I've experienced different things. I know when something is good or not, and I can, I think, dictate that earlier.”
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