“Attitude Doesn’t Really Belong in Tennis” – Stefanos Tsitsipas Asks Fans to Maintain Respect

Defending semifinalist Stefanos Tsitsipas insists fellow Greek fans to be “more respectful” towards his opponents after his routine 6-0, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Salvatore Caruso at the Australian Open 2020. The Greek gun also compared tennis fans with football fans as he urged the crowd to be courteous on the tennis court.

Tsitsipas, who enjoyed vocal support from the crowd, has undoubtedly seen a growth of his supporters in Melbourne. However, the next-gen player has asked his contingent of supporters to be more careful when cheering him on.

“Why they want to go the extra mile?”: Stefanos Tsitsipas

The large Greek community was out in full blast at the Margaret Court Arena. The crowd chanted “Ole! Ole! Stefanos Tsitsipas!” as the 21-year-old thrashed Caruso in less than two hours on Monday.

“I really like they come and support me because that gives me a lot of positives in my game. But I don’t really know why they want to go the extra mile some of the time,” Tsitsipas told the reporters in the post-match press conference.

He further added: “I think also, from their side, they should be a little bit more respectful to the opponents. Attitude doesn’t really belong in tennis. It should stay in football, not in the tennis court.”

Tsitsipas’ high-powered performance

Tsitsipas controlled the whole match with his dynamic game. He failed to convert three match points on Caruso’s serve before securing victory on his own serve with an ace after an hour and 43 minutes.

He will next face Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber, who defeated American Marcos Giron 7-5 6-1 6-2 in the first round.

The sixth-seeded is one of the favourites at the Australian Open 2020. Last year, he defeated Roger Federer in the fourth round and reached the semifinals before losing to Rafael Nadal. The 2019 ATP Finals champion is aiming to better that performance, this year.

Also Read: “I Feel Ready For A Grand Slam Title”- Stefanos Tsitsipas