Stefanos Tsitsipas: Clay requires players to be 'smart' about their shot choices

By SABC Sport
18th April 2025

Stefanos Tsitsipas has identified the effective use of his backhand as a major reason why he has enjoyed such success on clay courts.

The two-time Grand Slam finalist has had a rather disappointing last 12 months and is currently sitting as the world No 18 in the live ATP rankings, however, has looked in decent form on his beloved surface.

Tsitsipas lost a tight three-set match to eventual finalist Lorenzo Musetti in the quarter-finals of the Monte-Carlo Masters, before gaining a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Reilly Opelka and a 'revenge' win against Sebastian Korda at the Barcelona Open - who he lost to in Miami, just weeks prior.

"My mindset is to try and you know impose my game by being aggressive," the Greek stated to Tennis Channel, when asked about his performance on clay.

"I don't want other people kind of you know putting too much of their game and playing on their own terms.

"That is something that I try and focus on when I play on clay, is to open up the court well, be patient and not rush too much.

"Clay is not a surface that redeems those that are way too daring and hit way too hard. I feel like you have to kind of be smart about it and know where the limit is.

"I feel like the biggest thing that definitely helps me on clay is being able to use my backhand very effectively and smart in order to use my other best shot which is the forehand. So these two combined leave me a lot of room and gaps to impose my game."

The former world No 3 possesses 15 victories over top 10 players and three Masters 1000 titles on the surface.

In three of the last five editions (2021, 2022, and 2024), Tsitsipas arrived in Barcelona just hours after winning the Monte-Carlo Masters, forcing a rapid shift in conditions.

"I feel like conditions here are slightly slower and bouncier than in Monte-Carlo. This is something that I have noticed," said the Greek.

"I don't mind it as long as I'm able to direct the ball exactly where I want to, it doesn't really make a difference.

"I'm trying to adapt to each and every tournament separately. We have obviously other tournaments during the year on clay which are way different, like Madrid, which is played in a higher altitude.

"We constantly have to adapt and find ways to extract the best out of our games."

In his next match, Tsitsipas will face Arthur Fils - who made the quarter-finals at the Monte-Carlo Masters and who has been making waves on the ATP Tour in the last 12 months.

The pair have met on two occasions, in the 2023 edition of Antwerp and the 2024 edition of Basel, with the Frenchman victorious on both occasions.

"He's someone that has actually climbed the rankings quite fast," analysed the former world No 6.

"He has a very explosive game I feel like my tactic and the way I'm going to approach this match is not letting him dictate too much and create his own pace when he's hitting.

"Generating power too often is one of those things that is not going to be easy. It's going to be sort of demanding from my side to be able to play deep and have him on the stretch most of the time.

"He's a competitor and we're both competitors, I wish for myself to stay close in the score and have this match pushed to its extremes if that's possible, that is my mindset walking into this match."