Stefanos Tsitsipas (No. 3) missed Acapulco last month and continued to be affected at Indian Wells, but as he prepares for the Miami Open he is hoping to enter his second ATP Masters 1000 of the year unscathed.

“Everything is going better and I’m moving in the right direction” he said during the tournament’s media day. “I’m hoping to go out there with no pain and be able to show up there and show something different than Indian Wells because I’ve suffered a lot there… I’m hoping to play with more joy on the court and not think about my hand as much “.

Stefanos is No. 2 on the board for Miami, where he has been in at least Round 4 for the last three editions, with the best result being his presence in the Quarterfinals in 2021.

“My health is the most important thing I can have in tennis. ‘When I feel healthy everything is right, I enjoy my presence on the court, I feel creative, I can add variety to my game and I have the feeling that nothing can go wrong, wrong. That’s my goal for the tournament, to play pain free and see how my arm reacts over the next few days.”

Last year, Tsitsipas was eliminated in Miami in the round of 16 against eventual defending champion Carlos Alcarath.

The Spaniard clinched the title in Indian Wells, returning to No. 1 in the world rankings. The 24-year-old Greek tennis player, who was in the final of the Australian Open, was satisfied with the development of his generation.

“I’m happy for you” he said about Alkarath as well as finalist Daniil Medvedev. “If others are good, I can get better. That they’re getting better is good for me too and gives me a clear picture of how to approach my game.”

Tsitsipas, who can only face Medvedev in the semifinals or Alkarath in the final, will start his run in Miami against Richard Gasquet or one of the qualifiers or a lucky loser.

The 2 Masters 1000 title holder also spoke about his life off the pitch and the changes in his routine. “I’ve been very open over the past few years to being a lot more relaxed and not as hard on myself compared to 3-4 years ago when I started.” he said.

“I was extremely disciplined then, not that I’m not now, but sometimes I slack off. For example, I spent 2 weeks locked in my room without going anywhere.

I’m allowing myself more freedom now and I think it’s helped me a lot and given me the opportunity to grow as a person and not focus 100% on tennis every week.”

Source: Tennis24