Despite his recent victorious stride in the Dubai ATP 500, skepticism surrounds the prospect of Stefanos Tsitsipas clinching a Grand Slam title soon. The tennis prodigy from Greece, who had been grappling with a profound slump over the past couple of seasons, seemed to have veered off the trajectory he had initially envisioned for his career.
Tsitsipas’ performance on the court had been far from consistent. Aside from a few outstanding displays on the red clay, particularly in Monte Carlo, his overall performance had been lackluster. The emergence of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as the new torchbearers of men’s tennis further pushed Tsitsipas into the shadows.
The year 2024 marked a low point in his career, with the only highlight being his third-time triumph in Monte Carlo. The new season commenced on a rather dismal note with Tsitsipas being ousted prematurely from the Australian Open – a tournament where he had managed to reach the final in 2023.
However, Tsitsipas seems to have found his footing again in the United Arab Emirates, clinching the first ATP 500 of his career. This victory, coming after a string of lost finals, has renewed faith among his fans and demonstrated that Tsitsipas is far from finished in the game.
Nonetheless, the former world number 3 has to validate that his recent win was not a fluke. The Masters 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami will be the litmus test, providing an early indication of whether his form is truly back.
Prominent analyst Benoit Maylin, on the show ‘Sans Filet’, commended Tsitsipas for his turnaround but also expressed reservations about his future trajectory. Emphasizing the persisting weakness in his backhand, Maylin indicated that until this issue is addressed, Tsitsipas’ career will continue to be plagued by it. Despite Tsitsipas’ efforts to rectify the problem by changing his racket and making adjustments to his playing style, the issue remains unresolved.
Maylin noted that Tsitsipas’ performance in Dubai was commendable, but his true mettle will be tested in Indian Wells where he will have to confront superior players. The analyst concluded by saying that a victory in Dubai is not what defines a player of Tsitsipas’ stature. Rather, the true barometer of his success would be a victory in a Grand Slam tournament, something Maylin remains skeptical about.