Stefanos Tsitsipas says Covid-19 is causing mental fatigue for tennis players

ByReuters

Updated 02/11/2020 at 09:25 GMT

The severely depleted tennis calendar in 2020 may have reduced the physical burden on players, but Stefanos Tsitsipas says the mental fatigue has been unusual amid the health concerns and protocols due to Covid-19. Tsitsipas is set to play at the Paris Masters before defending his ATP Finals title in London.

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Image credit: Getty Images

Stefanos Tsitsipas says the mental exhaustion caused by Covid-19 is proving more of a problem for players than the physical challenges.

Fatigue usually starts to show on players as the circuit hits the final lap in November after the Asian swing in September-October, but all tournaments in the region were cancelled this year due to the pandemic.

The tennis circuit was suspended in March to contain the spread of coronavirus and only restarted in August ahead of the US Open in New York.

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"I feel good. I don't feel exhausted, because I have played not that many tournaments this year, so I don't really have a reason to be exhausted," world number six Stefanos Tsitsipas told reporters on Sunday ahead of the Paris Masters.

"The part that makes it more tiring than usual is for sure the virus itself and all the things that keep showing up and the changes that are happening. I would say that that's the biggest challenge that we are facing right now."

The reigning ATP Finals champion recently took a vacation with compatriot Giannis Antetokounmpo, the NBA's two-times Most Valuable Player, and Tsitsipas said it was a great experience and he had plenty to learn from the Milwaukee Bucks forward.

Tsitsipas, 22, won in Marseille and reached the final in Dubai before the circuit was halted.

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After the resumption of the professional Tour he reached the final in Hamburg and the semi-finals at Roland Garros.

"I think this year my attitude has improved a lot," Tsitsipas said.

"And also, my tranquillity and how calm I am on the court have given me a lot of matches and also a lot of confidence in believing in myself when tough situations show up in the match."

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