“Have Half of What He Achieved”: Stefanos Tsitsipas Showers Praise on Novak Djokovic After Tough Loss in French Open 2021 Final

The biggest surprise this year’s French Open happened on Friday when Novak Djokovic stunned defending champion Rafael Nadal in the semis.

When tennis fans witnessed Nadal bow out of Roland Garros after a long time, it was a statement from Djokovic that he was all set to win the 19th grand slam of his career.

Novak Djokovic outlasted Stefanos Tsitsipas to win 19th grand slam title

For the first two hours of the men’s singles championship match at Roland Garros, it looked as if the Serb will be denied a chance to claim his second French Open crown by young Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Greek won the first two sets against Djokovic and looked determined to win the title.

Just when tennis enthusiasts got carried away by Tsitsipas’ error-free play, Djokovic began to display some of his best tennis in the third set. In a way, he was waiting for the right time to take away momentum from Tsitsipas.

On the other hand, the Greek star didn’t play badly in the third. His level dropped slightly and it was enough for the Serb to stamp his authority on set and thereby, the match.

Watch this story: Top Moments when Rafael Nadal sent the tennis commentators wild

The world number five couldn’t do much in the fourth and fifth sets as his backhand repeatedly failed him in crucial moments. Djokovic too used a lot of wide first-serves, targeting the single-handed backhand of his opponent.

After winning the third and fourth sets, Djokovic continued top form even in the fifth and broke the Greek’s serve at 1-1. This single break of serve was more than sufficient for the Serb to clinch a monumental 19th major title of his career.

Talking about the high-octane contest during the post-match presentation, Stefanos Tsitsipas lauded Djokovic for his incredible achievements on-court.

“I had a good run and I’m happy with myself”- Tsitsipas after the final

“It’s not easy. Big fight our there. I tried my best… First time in a final. I had a good run and I’m happy with myself. Novak is a great champion. I hope one day have half of what he achieved”, Tsitsipas said.

The Greek super star also appreciated his fans for filling the stadiums for all his matches and for the great support during the final match.

“I’d like to thank the Greek fans and my team who are constantly behind me, for my dreams. This is a long journey. Thank you Roland Garros for those two memorable weeks. I hope I’ll be back next year”, continued the Greek.

In every way, Tsitsipas can be proud of the fight he put up during the final against Novak Djokovic. Losing a championship match after winning the first two sets would be heart-breaking. But, this experience against a champion player like Djokovic will toughen the Greek’s mental game.

Even with this defeat, the Greek player can hold his head high as he won the most number of matches than any other player this year. He had an incredible first half on the ATP tour. Tsitsipas has received a wild-card for the Halle Open, which starts tomorrow.

The Greek’s participation in the tournament is yet to be confirmed.

Also read: “Difficult Physically and Mentally”: Novak Djokovic on His Journey To Win 19th Grand Slam at French Open 2021