There's only one big player now - Novak Djokovic - but Medvedev, Zverev and I can become the next Big 3: Stefanos Tsitsipas

In a recent interview, Stefanos Tsitsipas spoke on a variety of topics - including the current state and future of men's tennis, the controversy around toilet breaks, and his own personal motivations.

Tsitsipas first claimed that the 'Big 3' doesn't exist anymore and that there is is only one 'big' player, Novak Djokovic. At the same time, the Greek believes that he himself, along with Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev, could form the next Big 3 of tennis.

"There is currently only one big player: Novak Djokovic. He's still the best in the world," Tsitsipas said. "But Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev and I get right behind it. We can become the next big three. I firmly believe in it."

Tsitsipas went on to state there is little reason to doubt that Djokovic will keep up his level for a while. According to the Greek, the fact that Roger Federer is still playing at the age of 40 suggests it is unwise to write any champion off.

"I still have a lot of confidence in Djokovic," Tsitsipas said. "Who would have thought that Roger Federer would still play at 40? Not me. But I am sure that he will make a comeback again."

Stefanos Tsitsipas also talked about how difficult it is to win a Grand Slam, opining that anyone in the top 10 is capable of winning one. According to the 23-year-old, the sport has become more physically demanding than it used to be, which necessitates paying attention to the smallest of details.

"The level is incredibly high. Any player from the top 10 can win a Grand Slam tournament," Tsitsipas said. "Tennis has evolved, it has become very physical. It's extreme in many ways. You have to pay attention to every detail."

Stefanos Tsitsipas then cited the example of Dominic Thiem, highlighting how much effort he put into winning the 2020 US Open. According to Tsitsipas, it is important to conserve energy during a Major; the Greek pointed out how that strategy has worked well for Djokovic and Medvedev in the recent past.

"Dominic Thiem is a good example," Tsitsipas said. "He put so much physical and mental energy into winning the US Open. I watched every game he played there. It is very exhausting to beat the other good players. It sucks the energy out of your body. The key is: You have to win the games with less effort and save energy for the next match. Novak Djokovic has shown this perfectly in recent years. And Daniil Medvedev showed it at the US Open."

Stefanos Tsitsipas also expressed disappointment at the fact that the art of volleying is almost non-existent now. Tsitsipas is one of the few who still comes to the net to finish points off, and he claimed during the interview that he finds it "exciting" to do so.

The Greek pointed out how the sport-wide changes in the modern era have led to most players building their games around a baseline style of play.

"I think that's a shame," Tsitsipas said when asked about the decline of volleying. "It's much more exciting when players advance to the net and finish points with a volley. My game was always offensive. But because of the courts and balls, the game has become faster and faster, so the players prefer to stay behind and train their baseline game for countless hours. You used to move back and forth, now to the left and right. There was a real revolution."

Tsitsipas went on to elaborate on why he chose tennis over soccer; the 23-year-old claimed he was more attracted to the idea of being able to solve his own problems by himself. Tsitsipas also believes the sport of tennis has helped him develop his personality and made him challenge himself.

"I like to be alone on the pitch with my problems," Tsitsipas said. "It all depends on me. And through my play I can develop my personality. There is an opponent on the other side of the net, but the biggest task is to challenge myself and test my limits."

"I only focus on myself, not my opponent" - Stefanos Tsitsipas

Stefanos Tsitsipas at the 2021 French Open.

Stefanos Tsitsipas also cleared the air about his toilet breaks, stating that he doesn't take them for any tactical purposes or to disrupt his opponent's rhythm. He further added that he only focuses on himself and his game rather than the opponent during a match.

"No! My intention is not to disturb anyone's rhythm, it is not a tactical tool," Tsitsipas said. "Anyway, I only look at myself and not at the opponent. Even after winning a 6-0 set, I went to the bathroom and changed my things."

Tsitsipas further stated that his bathroom breaks depend upon the conditions. The Greek didn't need to take one in Indian Wells since the dry weather didn't cause him to sweat as much as he did in Cincinnati and at the US Open.

"It always has to do with the external conditions," Tsitsipas said. "I never did it at the Indian Wells tournament because the conditions were very dry. I didn't sweat as much as I did in Cincinnati and at the US Open before. Circumstances were different and I responded accordingly."

The crowd repeatedly booed Stefanos Tsitsipas at the US Open due to his breaks. But the 23-year-old wasn't bothered by that as he believes the general public might not fully know the rules, which he adheres to.

"It's OK," Tsitsipas said. "People don't really know what's behind this. It didn't affect me, didn't affect my game, and I didn't break any rules."

Tsitsipas went on to voice his opposition to imposing a time limit with respect to bathroom breaks, as he believes every player can decide the time for himself. The Greek further revealed that he gets bothered by his sweating and feels more comfortable playing in a fresh set of clothes, so he doesn't care what the others think about it.

"One shouldn't dictate how much time to spend in the bathroom," Tsitsipas said. "With dry clothes I just feel more comfortable and fresher. All that sweat bothers me. Each player can decide for himself. I am there to do my job. I don't care about anything else. People also give me different nicknames ("Jesus Christ of tennis", "Tsitsifast", "Greek God"; d. Red.). I think that's funny, but don't bother with it any further."