Stefanos Tsitsipas displeased with ATP: “The regulation needs to be changed”

The journey of the number two seed Stefanos Tsitsipas continues at the Miami Open. The Greek advanced, despite some physical problems, and won with difficulty against the Chilean Christian Garin, a fairly fit tennis player, despite the adverse surface.

Now there is a great chance for Stefanos, who, with the surprise eliminations of Felix Auger Aliassime and Tiafoe, has the path paved towards the semifinals. Stefanos found Daniil Medvedev’s side of the draw and then presented himself at the press conference, here are his words:

“I tried to persevere as much as possible, it wasn’t easy and here the conditions are totally different from Indian Wells. I haven’t played many games and this last match was really hard for me. In Indian Wells I faced a very tough match against Thompson but I also had a shoulder problem which slowed me down.

I’m happy to have gone on the field and have shown a good level. I was able to use my backhand to the fullest and delivered a very good level despite not too long rallies. I wanted to shorten it even more, but in the end it’s okay”.

Tsitsipas on the injury and tough on ATP

The Greek then clarified his physical problems by explaining: “I’m much better than in Indian Wells and I’m happy that I feel less and less pain. I want to continue on this path, I trust the healing process and I want to be 100% as soon as possible. Today I understood that I can find solutions even in difficult moments, I wasn’t 100% but I managed to win even if I didn’t play very well.”

Finally Stefanos attacked the ATP hard, which, according to him, almost forced him to play Indian Wells: “The reason why I played Indian Wells is that there is an ATP rule which says that if you don’t play a 1000 even if you are battered you risk incurring various penalties.

You can for example lose the points of your best result in the 1000m in the previous year. If you think about it, it’s a really bad thing, I had to play. In addition to the penalty you also get a fine and it’s frustrating.

In the end I decided to play for the fans too, but I think the ATP needs to reconsider these rules and change them at the table with the tennis players. We need to do more logical things, I don’t think the ATP wants to have injured tennis players and certainly all this does not help the level of tennis.”