Tennis news - Stefanos Tsitsipas: 'I'll treat Dominic Thiem just like I did Roger Federer'

ByJames Gray

Updated 17/11/2019 at 10:21 GMT

Stefanos Tsitsipas believes facing Roger Federer was the perfection preparation for an ATP Finals showdown with Dominic Thiem.

Tsitsipas beat Federer 6-3, 6-4 to reach the final of the year-end championship, having already beaten Rafael Nadal on Friday in three sets.

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Thiem meanwhile beat both Federer and Novak Djokovic in the group stages and now stands one win away from the biggest title of his career.

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However, Tsitsipas, who lost to Thiem in the final in Beijing in their last meeting, believes the styles of his two opponents this weekend are not dissimilar.

"Thiem plays with a lot of intensity, uses his forehand very well," Tsitsipas said.

Thiem has never made it past the group stages of the ATP Finals before this week

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"Roger is very aggressive. [They are] both very aggressive players but different styles.

"I would compare that one is just flawless and doesn't use too much of his power to play. The other one is really forcing much.

"So for me I'm going to - I mean, I'm going to take it pretty much the same way, both single-handed backhands."

Tsitsipas is also a prominent exponent of the single-handed backhand and Thiem reckons that will add to the spectacle of a final between two of the games up-and-comers.

"One handed back-handed finals, I guess! We are both offensive players, he is very attractive to watch, I love to watch him and I am looking forward to playing him again," Thiem said.

"And I'm happy to be playing again here tomorrow in front of this amazing atmosphere."

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