French Open 2023: Stefanos Tsitsipas got 'wake-up call' in nervy first-round win over Jiri Vesely, says Mats Wilander

Published 28/05/2023 at 16:44 GMT

It was far from plain sailing for Stefanos Tsitsipas during his ultimately laboured victory over Jiri Vesely on day 1 of the 2023 French Open. The Greek charged into a two-set lead but was pegged back by the Czech and was very nearly taken to a fifth set. Luckily for Tsitsipas, he avoided that predicament but will have to close matches out better in the ensuing rounds, reckoned Mats Wilander.

'It's a wake-up call for Tsitsipas' – Wilander on fifth seed's tough win

Stefanos Tsitsipas got a "wake-up call" in his nervy first-round French Open win over Jiri Vesely, reckoned Eurosport pundit Mats Wilander.

The Greek fifth seed looked to be cruising into the second round at two sets up over his unseeded Czech opponent, but lost the third set and was then taken to a tie-break in the fourth, edging it 9-7 to belatedly take his place in the second round.

And Tsitsipas, who will next face Roberto Carballes Baena after the Spaniard beat Emilio Nava, was advised by Wilander that he must be clinical in finishing matches if he wants to go far in the tournament.

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"I think it's a wake-up call for Stefanos," Wilander said on Eurosport, in conversation with Alize Lim.

"'Hey, I need to be ready to finish matches, don't allow this to happen again'. We did not [expect such a tight match].

"Being up two sets to love and then not closing it out in three sets, and then just in four sets - is that good for your confidence or not?

"He's through, now he gets a day - maybe even two days - off, so in a way it's a perfect start.

'Magnificent finish' as Tsitsipas overcomes Vesely to progress

"You know what I really like - you can hear that the crowd really enjoys watching Stefanos when he plays. He moves so well, he plays so aggressive. Just like he said [afterwards], he needs to go to the ball.

"It's difficult on Philippe-Chatrier - it's a tough court to play on."

Vesely's performance was all the more impressive given it was just his fifth match since last year's US Open after time out with injury, and first this year at tour level.

Commenting on left-hander Vesely's full participation in the tense encounter, Wilander added: "Big credit to Vesely - (fellow Eurosport expert) Laura Robson mentioned before the match that she thought it would be the perfect draw [for Tsitsipas] because Vesely doesn't move well.