Tsitsipas led 6-2, 2-0 at one stage and was within touching distance of going a double break and 3-0 up. But some clutch shotmaking and serving from Hurkacz helped him stay in the second set, before he eventually ran out a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 victor.
Later in his post-match press conference, Stefanos Tsitsipas lamented the missed opportunity and highlighted how a small stroke of fortune changed the complexion of the match. When asked for his explanation of the turnaround in the second set, Tsitsipas lay the blame on two things - first his serve, and then an all-or-nothing forehand by Hurkacz that landed on the line.
Stefanos Tsitsipas then went into detail about Hubert Hurkacz’s break point saving forehand winner, which the Greek believes was a ’little bit lucky’. Tsitsipas even claimed he had not seen such a shot from Hurkacz all week.
The shot that Tsitsipas referred to was played at 3-3, with Hurkacz serving at 15-40. But from his comments, it seems that Tsitsipas misremembered the game. The Greek had double break points at 2-0 up in the second set, but Hurkacz saved them with some big serving - and not the forehand winner that Tsitsipas talked about.
The 22-year-old went on to suggest that had that shot landed out, the match might have had a different result. He also revealed that he didn’t ‘feel comfortable’ after that point, and that the sheer accuracy of Hurkacz’s winner was firmly lodged in his mind for the rest of the match.
I feel like that was a lost opportunity that shouldn’t have happened today: Stefanos Tsitsipas
Stefanos Tsitsipas believes that he played some of his best tennis up to that fateful point at 3-3, which reversed both players’ fortunes. According to the Greek, that shot changed the ‘psychology’ of the match.
Stefanos Tsitsipas also rued the fact that he lost a match even though, at one point, ’nothing could stop’ him.
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