When Tsitsipas puts his expectations aside

Stefanos Tsitsipas is full of praise for the tournament in the Alps. “It’s paradise here,” says the former world No. 3 after his tournament victory. “Gstaad beats everything else by a long shot. It’s definitely the best 250-level tournament in the world.” Tsitsipas’s euphoria is understandable. He had been waiting a year and a half to reach a final; the disappointments had piled up, and there had been no more moments of success.

In Gstaad, however, a transformed Tsitsipas emerged. Before Wimbledon, he parted ways—perhaps too late—with his father, Apostolos, as his coach. Under his father’s guidance, the 27-year-old Greek had celebrated great successes. In 2019, at age 21, Tsitsipas won the ATP Finals; in 2021, he reached the final at the French Open (leading 2-0 in sets); and two years later, he reached the final at the Australian Open. He also triumphed three times at the Masters 1000 tournament in Monte Carlo. But then the career of this highly talented player—who is often moody and doesn’t always have the mental fortitude—stalled. On top of that, there was off-court drama. His tennis career didn’t always seem to be his top priority.

They simply played and fought

Tsitsipas had slipped to No. 85 in the world rankings before heading to Gstaad. There, however, he shone not only with his creative play but also with his tenacity and mental toughness. He won four of his five matches in three sets, and on more than one occasion he kept his frustration in check and weathered tough moments. “It was a crazy week,” Tsitsipas remarked after his victory in the final against Belgian Raphaël Collignon, who was ranked a good 40 spots higher.

Then he revealed an astonishing recipe for success. “In the third set, I completely put my expectations aside,” Tsitsipas explained. “It can be frustrating when you’re striving for perfection. I just played and fought—and saw what happened.” Could this be the recipe for a resurgence of the successful Tsitsipas who continues to thrill fans and fill the stands?

Proof that we're on the right track

In any case, the week in Gstaad did him a world of good. With his new coach, Thomas Perrin from Patrick Mouratoglou’s academy, he’s ready to go on the offensive again. “It’s a great feeling to hold this trophy in my hands,” says Tsitsipas. “It’s the reward for the work you put in, and proof that you’re on the right track. It gives you confidence and hunger, and makes you want to push yourself even further to the limit.”

These difficult months have taught Tsitsipas humility. For now, at least, he’s setting his goals cautiously. “I want to beat at least three top-10 players this year,” he said. “Winning a 500-level tournament would be nice.” Those are the small goals. “It’s more important to get back into the top 50.” The latter shouldn’t take too long. Perhaps Tsitsipas didn’t realize it right away: As of Monday, he’s back at No. 51 in the world. Next up are the hard courts of North America.