By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, January 18, 2019
Before facing reigning Australian Open champion Roger Federer in a fourth-round blockbuster, Stefanos Tsitsipas shared the key for success against the grand slam king.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Empowered by his own Greek chorus, Stefanos Tsitsipas is a stylish soloist in Melbourne.
The virtuoso shotmaker is on a historic run as the first Greek man to reach a Grand Slam fourth round on multiple occasions.
Watch: Federer Flies Into Fourth Round
Reigning champion Roger Federer is on mission inspiration himself continuing his quest to capture his 100th career title and a record seventh Australian Open championship.
The 37-year-old Federer and 20-year-old Tsitsipas collide in a blockbuster fourth-round match the tennis world has awaited since the draw came out.
The question is can Tsitsipas adjust to the shifting major music the Maestro brings?
Federer has altered angle and spin masterfully advancing to Australian Open semifinals or better in 14 of his last 15 appearances.
The third seed has not surrendered a set through three matches and is second in first-serve points won (86 percent) through opening week.
Tsitsipas says a primary lesson he learned from a 7-6, 7-6 Hopman Cup exhibition loss to Federer earlier this month: Attack behind returns to try to stress the third-seeded Swiss.
"I learned a lot since my last match with him," said Tsitsipas, empowered by a spirited, chanting fan base from Melbourne's thriving Greek community. "I know the patterns that he's using a bit better now. He's serving really well, so I'm going to have to utilise his, and take advantage of my returns as much as possible. I'm pretty sure he's going to be serving well, so, yeah, return games need to be aggressive and pressing a lot.
"Yeah, he's a legend of our sport," Tsitsipas said. "It will be a great day facing him in one of the best arenas, Rod Laver. I'm really excited for that match."
An expansive career arc provides Federer unique perspective: he's ascended to the lofty levels where Tsitispas aspires.
More than that, there's pure buzz of playing another one-handed mix-master who feels the all-court flow. Federer has experienced that, varying degrees, facing fellow one-handed backhand boy bandmates Tommy Haas and Grigor Dimitrov.
The 6'4" Tsitsipas shares Federer's taste for transition which can create some electric all-court exchanges.
"I'm happy for (Tsitsipas)," Federer said. "He's playing so well, and I'm looking forward to the matchup with him. I think it's going to be a good one. I like how he mixes up his game and also comes to the net. So will I. I think we will see some athletic attacking tennis being played."
This fourth-round collision should be spirited and already evokes mythic memories.
Nearly 18 years ago another rising young hot shot, a 15th-seeded stylist sporting a pony-tail named Roger Federer dethroned seven-time Wimbledon king Pete Samprs with a dramatic 7-6 (7), 5-7, 6-4, 6-7 (7), 7-5 fourth-round triumph on Wimbledon's Centre Court.
It was the first and last match between legends.
Playing an opponent who is a virtual mirror image of his own style—the young Federer was serving-and-volleying on first and many second serves in those days—Sampras made his earliest exit from Wimbledon in 10 years.
Does Federer see the same danger in Tsitsipas that Sampras saw in the young Fed?
A more accurate assessment may well come after the match. Federer points out pressure and conditions are dramatically different beneath the Grand Slam spotlight of Melbourne than they were in Perth.
"I'm happy I played against him at the Hopman Cup," Federer said. "I think he played really well there. I actually did too. I thought it was really high-quality tennis.
"This is obviously a different type of match, it being best of five, it being a fourth round of a slam, you know, where we know now how we feel on this court. I think he had to work extremely hard against Basilashvili again today, because he hits hard and I saw him before I went out really defending well and a lot."
Their Hopman Cup clash gave us a glimpse into potential patterns and tactical tendencies; Tsitsipas says it was an educational experience.
The key component to facing Federer isn't about forehands and backhands.
Tsitsipas insists it's deeper than that.
Facing Federer is a major mind game demanding stronger self-belief to stay in step.
"It's not easy to play these kind of players that you've been watching for so long and you finally get to play them," Tsitsipas said of his fourth-round showdown with the Swiss. "Mentally you have to be much stronger than any other match that you have faced that week.
"Having such a name like Federer on the other side, it's an extra, I would say, advantage for him, because he's done what he's done. But mentally, you know, for players to beat him, they have to be ready and believe in themselves that they are, their game is great enough to beat such a player. I feel good. I can tell you that. "