In-form Tsitsipas: “I really don’t know what my very best level is”

The Greek has not dropped a set on his way to the semi-finals of the Paris Masters but says he’s yet to hit his peak

Chryslene Caillaud / Panoramic

November 3, 2023

Stefanos Tsitsipas produced some of his best tennis of the year on Friday as he marched into the semi-finals of the Rolex Paris Masters for the second year in a row, beating former champion Karen Khachanov in straight sets.

After a difficult few months in the summer, the Greek has now reached three straight semi-finals and with his 51st win of the season, he’s looking to end the year on a high, perhaps by winning in Paris and then, by pushing for the title at the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin.

15 – Since 2018, when Stefanos Tsitsipas made his first ATP-1000 semi-final, only Novak Djokovic (16) has made more SFs in such events than the Greek player who has made 15 so far. Star.#RolexParisMasters | @RolexPMasters @atptour pic.twitter.com/uCveRP3geP
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) November 3, 2023

It’s four years since Tsitsipas won the Finals but since bringing his father, Apostolos, back into his team after a couple of months apart this summer, the Greek is looking much more like his old self. And the worrying thing about it, for his rivals, is that he does not think he has peaked yet.

“The thing in all this is, I don’t know what my very best level is,” Tsitsipas said after setting up a semi-final with Grigor Dimitrov. “I had a pretty good level at the Australian Open this year. It was good. It wasn’t my best, but it was very good.

“Then I played one of my best tennis in Nitto Finals in London (four) years ago. I kind of feel like every single tournament or every single chance that I get to be on the court, it’s a new opportunity for me to show probably my best level ever.

“I can’t say with confidence what has been my most high, like, highest level that I have played in my year. Perhaps Nitto Finals (2019) or maybe even my Monte-Carlo run the first year that I won it (2021) was probably one of the best. But that’s clay, that’s not hard. So there are a lot of factors to include. I really don’t know what my best level is.”

“My aim is not just one match, it’s the whole week”

Tsitsipas said his best level can sometimes come in a single match, rather than an entire tournament, even if he’s aiming for it to be the latter.

“Every match that I get to play very good, I’m happy with,” he said. “I guess my very best level would be beating high-ranked players without losing a lot of games would probably be my best highest level. It has happened a few times in my career, not much, so I would probably consider that a very good match.

“But honestly, my aim is not just the match; it’s the whole week. I would probably answer that question once my career is done in the years to come, so it’s better to answer that then.”