Stefanos Tsitsipas was quite confident about his chances against Carlos Alcaraz heading into their 2024 Roland Garros clash, but it didn’t go so well.
The Greek player has looked really good at this year’s Roland Garros, and he wanted to do really well also against the third seed. Outside of some minor issues against Matteo Arnaldi, he was confident in his game, which is so important for him.
If he doubts himself, then he’s not as effective as he can be. Even heading into the match against Alcaraz, Tsitsipas remained confident despite having never beaten the Spaniard before.
Unfortunately for him, it didn’t go well because Alcaraz took an early break, which set the tone for a match he ended up winning. After the match, the Greek player talked about his approach, admitting that his overconfidence might have hurt him.
“I won’t lie, I was confident. I felt more confident than I usually am. Maybe that hurt me I guess. I don’t know. I was pretty sure I could face Carlos today and maybe do something different than any other time that I have played.”
Being confident generally won’t hurt an athlete unless they underestimate their opponent. It’s pretty unlikely that Tsitsipas underestimated his opponent because, as he said after the match, Alcaraz is just too good, and it’s a well-known fact.
“The kid is just too good. I can only congratulate him because he’s really playing amazing. I’ve maximized anything that I was able to try and do out on the court. I’ve maximized everything. I just need to figure this out.”
Tsitsipas was visibly disappointed by the match’s outcome, but such is the life of a tennis player. There can only be one winner, and this time around, it won’t be him.
“It’s a difficult journey. It’s not a pleasant one, for sure. Of course, I wish him the best because when I play against him, I get reminded of how much there is to get better at as a tennis player.”
