Stefanos Tsitsipas 'starting from scratch' after surgery and playing 'without pain' ahead of Australian Open

ByJames Walker-Roberts

Updated 29/12/2021 at 12:34 GMT

World No 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas had a solid season as he won two titles and reached his first Grand Slam final. However, he didn't finish the year as he would have wanted as he withdrew from the ATP Finals due to injury and then underwent surgery. He has spoken about now playing "without pain" and the "totally new challenge" ahead.

Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed that he has been playing with pain for the last two years and after surgery feels like he is “starting from scratch”.

Tsitsipas underwent elbow surgery in November after being forced to withdraw from the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals in Turin.

It was the second season in a row that he ended with injury issues.

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The world No. 4, who made the French Open final this year, returned to training recently and is hoping to play at the Australian Open, which starts on January 17.

“I considered it necessary to have surgery because I had been feeling permanent pain for years while playing, trying to limit the load on that area of ​​my body," he told Sky Sports in Italy.

"I wanted to return as soon as possible, but without being afraid of relapsing from the injury. It is fantastic to be on the court without feeling pain and seeing that I can do any movement.

“Now I am faced with a totally new challenge because I realise that I had changed my style of play and now I can play without limiting factors. For me it's like starting from scratch. I'm using a muscle that I almost didn't know I had because I wasn't using it to protect the joint, I changed my style of play.

“It was difficult for me mentally to compete for almost two years with this problem.”

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Tsitsipas also spoke about continued speculation over Novak Djokovic’s vaccination status ahead of the Australian Open.

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Players need to be vaccinated to compete at the tournament, unless they have a medical exemption, and Djokovic is yet to reveal whether he is or not.

Reports in Serbia say Djokovic is looking “more likely” to play the first Grand Slam of 2022, even though he has pulled out of the ATP Cup, and Tsitsipas says his privacy should be respected.

"I do not promote vaccination, but I am not against it either, I support whoever wants to do it. I am an athlete, not a doctor, so my perspective on these issues may not be correct, I have been vaccinated to have a normal life, but everyone has the freedom to decide.

“I believe that we must respect what Novak does.”

Djokovic was not on the first charter flights that landed in Australia this week.

'We'll have to wait and see' - Djokovic still unsure about Australian Open participation

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Stream the 2022 Australian Open live and on-demand on discovery+.

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