Monaco (AFP)

Stefanos Tsitsipas, 22, won his first Masters 1000 in Monte-Carlo on Sunday, beating 23-year-old Andrey Rublev, an illustration of a likely long-term rivalry.

But the Greek promises "multiple rivalries" in the years to come which will make tennis "very interesting".

Q: How did you feel when you won this first Masters 1000?

A: "The end of the match was scary. Not easy. I had to play great tennis to get there. And in the end, it was just a fight. On the match point, I didn't make it. than trying to play as long as possible and put him under pressure when his ball was short. I did exactly what had to be done. My intentions were right. And it came to that at the last stroke which is released. Then I can't describe it, it was amazing. So many things went through my mind. So many childhood memories. I like being expressive, showing my emotions. I see players who do not react not when they get such victories. But me, that makes me proud. "

Q: Tennis has known for years the great rivalries between Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. Do you think that with Rublev you will experience such a rivalry?

A: "This rivalry already exists. It is only growing. From how many matches do we talk about rivalry, thirty? We will certainly get there if we continue to play against each other so often ( 6 times since the US Open 2019, including three times in 2020 and already twice in 2021). But I'm also sure that I will have rivalries with players other than Andrey. There are ten or fifteen years ago, Federer and Nadal started theirs. But the current generation will develop multiple rivalries. There will be me against Zverev, me against Sinner, me against Berrettini. There will be plenty of rivalries. And I think this strain will make the very interesting tennis. "

Q: You have been training a lot in France lately, do you speak French?

A: "I speak a little bit (in French before resuming in English). But I also want to say that I bet with a French journalist during the Marseille tournament that I would speak French fluently if Roland-Garros turns into my. favor. You understand what I mean by that. I promise you that if things go well at Roland Garros, I will spend a lot of time, in my free time on the circuit, learning French. "

Interview at a press conference

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