LONDON —
Stefanos Tsitsipas believes Rafael Nadal must feel "immortal" after winning
the French Open and moving halfway to the first men's calendar Grand Slam in
more than half a century.
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The great Spaniard captured a 14th title at
Roland Garros earlier this month to add to the Australian Open he secured in
January.
His win in Paris, which also extended his
Grand Slam record to 22 titles, came despite him needing his injured left foot
to be anaesthetized.
"I have a lot of respect for what he
did at the French Open, playing with that foot. It was a broken foot in a way.
It kind of makes him feel like he's immortal with the things he's able to pull
off," said Tsitsipas.
"The matches, the level of intensity
he's able to reach in times where it's very uncomfortable, it would be
uncomfortable for most players to compete under these conditions
physically."
Nadal goes into Wimbledon, which starts on
Monday, claiming he is pain-free for the first time in a year and a half after
undergoing treatment to cure nerve pain in his troublesome foot.
Tsitsipas believes that Nadal, the champion
at the All England in 2008 and 2010, has a psychological edge if rivals believe
the Spanish star is often just one injury away from retirement.
"We're used to seeing Rafa not being
able to play and win multiple Grand Slams or tournaments," added the
23-year-old.
"That's where I think the opponents
need to be more careful. When he says he can't play and has foot problems,
that's where I feel he's the most threatening in terms of his
performance.
"It's actually reverse psychology in a
way."
World number six Tsitsipas arrives at
Wimbledon with a first grass-court title under his belt having triumphed in
Mallorca on Saturday.
Now he needs to translate that form to the
All England Club where he has fallen at the first round three times in four
visits.
That included 2021 when he was knocked out
in straight sets by Frances Tiafoe.
"Last year was difficult for me. I
didn't play a single match before
Wimbledon on grass. I was trying to play on
grass like I did on clay, which was a huge mistake," he admitted on
Sunday.
"Technique-wise, tactic-wise, it all
fell apart. Looking back last year, I watched a few videos, highlights. You
want to analyze as much as possible, get to see your weak points. None of it
made sense."
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