By Shrivathsa Sridhar
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Former Australian Open runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas hopes a return to his “home” Slam at Melbourne Park can spark an upturn in his fortunes after an inconsistent 2024 saw the Greek drop out of the top 10.
Tsitsipas won his third Masters title in Monte Carlo in April but other than that found success hard to come by, finishing the year ranked 11th.
Melbourne has the largest population of Greek speakers outside Greece and Cyprus and 2023 Australian Open finalist Tsitsipas is confident he will have huge support in his latest bid for a first Grand Slam title.
“I’m really glad to be back to Melbourne,” he told reporters on Saturday.
“I can’t wait to start the Australian Open, which I’ve said is my home Slam. It’s a great opportunity to be playing on these courts, to be receiving the crowd support I have been receiving over the last few years.
“I just hope my tennis blends in well with the rest of the crowd and I’m going to be able to really perform at my highest level and bring that tennis I’ve shown in the last few years.”
The 26-year-old former French Open runner-up said his game flourished when he was in his comfort zone.
“It makes a big difference in terms of feeling on court,” Tsitsipas added.
“When I travel around the world and play in different places, I have seemed to be connecting more with the European kind of vibe. I haven’t had great success in the U.S.
“Travelling so far overseas and having that feeling of home allows me to feel good within my comfort zone. That’s also why my tennis thrives and I feel better with my game.”
Tsitsipas plays American Alex Michelsen in his opener at the Australian Open, which begins on Sunday.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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