Tsitsipas thriving after wake-up call, says McEnroe

Jan 28 (Reuters) – Stefanos Tsitsipas’s gorgeous Australian Open type may have been impressed by the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and different younger weapons stealing his highlight, based on John McEnroe.

The 24-year-old third seed will attempt once more to say his first Grand Slam title when he takes on nine-time champion Novak Djokovic in Melbourne on Sunday with victory additionally guaranteeing him prime spot within the ATP rankings.

It regarded solely a matter of time earlier than Tsitsipas landed a serious when he reached the Australian Open semi-finals in 2019 however ending up as French Open runner-up in 2021 is as shut as he has come.

Teenager Alcaraz jumped the queue final 12 months by profitable the U.S. Open and McEnroe believes it was a jolt for Greek Tsitsipas who struggled within the majors final 12 months after reaching the Australian Open semi-final a 12 months in the past.

“Possibly he received a little bit of a get up name when Alcaraz received the Open and have become world primary and he is fairly just a few years youthful,” McEnroe advised Reuters in a information convention organised by broadcaster Eurosport.

“Holger Rune is beginning to make some actual inroads and a few of the different youthful gamers. It appeared that the fellows that had been anticipated to win like a bunch like (Danil) Medvedev, (Alexander)Zverev earlier than he was damage, (Dominic) Thiem and Tsistipas, there was a hazard that it hasn’t gone their manner.

“So I feel there was this hazard that (Tsitsipas) was going to be kind of not forgotten, however kind of not prime prime tier.

“So I give him quite a lot of credit score as a result of he did not have nice outcomes on the majors final 12 months. However there appears to be a constructive vitality that is coming from him that I hadn’t seen for some time. And when his forehand’s working it is actually large time.

“He seems actually harmful proper now.”

Djokovic will begin as a giant favorite to take a record-extending tenth title and preserve Tsitsipas ready.

The Serb leads 10-2 of their head-to-head and says he’s totally ready for no matter Tsitsipas brings.

“There’s not quite a lot of secrets and techniques between us. He is aware of my recreation, I do know his. He has matured so much, he’s … on the peak of his skills,” Djokovic mentioned.

“That is probably the match of his life — he’s taking part in for a world primary and a Grand Slam title, towards me.

“However I do know what to do tactically, I’ve performed a few of my finest matches in Melbourne. I’m able to go to the gap: if it is 5 units, then it is 5 units; if it is 5 hours, then 5 hours. I’m trying ahead to it.”

(This story has been refiled to repair the dateline.)

Reporting by Martyn Herman
Enhancing by Toby Davis

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Belief Ideas.