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Stefanos Tsitsipas lately opened up on getting emotional after clinching his third Monte-Carlo Masters title.
Tsitsipas endured a difficult 2023 season. The Greek's form drastically dipped as the season went on, and towards the end of it, he was forced to withdraw from the year-end Nitto ATP Finals due to a back injury.
The former World No. 3 eventually dropped out from the top 10 after some disappointing performances in 2024.
However, Tsitsipas looked back to his best at the recently-concluded Monte-Carlo Masters. The Greek initially battled past Laslo Djere and Tomas Martin Etcheverry, and then came out on top against heavyweights Alexander Zverev, Karen Khachanov, and Jannik Sinner. In the final, he secured a comfortable 6-1, 6-4 victory against eighth seed Casper Ruud.
As soon as he converted the championship point, Tsitsipas fell to his knees and continued to look emotionally overwhelmed until the trophy presentation ceremony. In a recent interview, he revealed the reason behind his outpouring of emotions.
The two-time Grand Slam finalist said that the injury that compelled him to withdraw from the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals was quite severe. He even said that there was a chance of him missing out on the Australian swing.
"I had a difficult few months at the end of last season, I had a bad injury. People don't know how difficult it was for me to recover from such an injury, which was relatively serious. Even the doctors thought it would take me longer, there was a chance I might even miss the Australian summer," Tsitsipas told SDNA.
The 25-year-old went on to talk about the inner workings of his mind as he got off to a poor start this year. Prior to his Monte-Carlo Masters triumph, the Greek's best finish this season came at the Los Cabos Open, where he was ousted by Ruud in the semifinals.
"The season didn't start in the best way, I was a bit confused. There were some situations that brought me down psychologically and emotionally. There were moments when I felt really bad, which I haven't experienced on tour in recent years," Tsitsipas added.
"The third title means much more than the first" - Stefanos Tsitsipas
Tsitsipas' first Monte-Carlo Masters title came in 2021 after he downed Andrey Rublev in the final. He successfully defended his title in 2022 by defeating Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the last hurdle. However, according to the Greek, the third title at Monte-Carlo feels the most special out of the three triumphs at the prestigious ATP Masters 1000 event.
"The third title means much more than the first, which I remember very well. I remember very clearly how I beat him. No. 3 is very special and no one else can understand it, I don't think many have passed this point. The final was one of the most emotional matches I have played. I felt the fatigue of the whole week and it all came out at the end of the race," Tsitsipas told SDNA.
Tsitsipas' latest Monte-Carlo triumph has seen him re-enter the top 10 of the ATP Tour rankings. His next outing is set to be at the Barcelona Open, where he is the fifth seed and will face Sebastian Ofner in the Round of 32 on Wednesday, April 17.
