On Saturday night at the 2023 Madrid Open, Stefanos Tsitsipas managed to do something that you don't see every day.
It all started in the eighth game of the first set. After holding his previous service game to love with a last point won after second serve, the Greek started the eighth game with an accurate first serve that flew with a speed of 199 km/h (124 mph).
And after that, Tsitsipas managed to aim precisely into the relatively small service boy 38 more times in a row. He hit all of his first serves in the second set and his first miss came in the eighth game of the third set, but it didn't have to worry him as he won the following point.
The Greek also won the match against Dominic Thiem and as it usually is, the players don't know about the stats during the match, and although Tsitsipas knew that he was serving well, he was surprised to learn about the incredible streak after the match.
"That's fantastic, 39 is a lot. That shows that perhaps I improved today on my serve. That's a positive mark for me. I think I just owe it all to fluidity and just being relaxed on my serve... I think it's just pure relaxation and focus."
The intensity of the match between Tsitsipas and Thiem was palpable, as both players showcased their undeniable clay-court qualities and the beauty of a one-handed backhand. Tsitsipas expressed his satisfaction with the quality of tennis on display, stating that both players were able to bring high levels of intensity to the game.
"It was very physical and I think we both played our best. I'm in a way happy that we were able to show that kind of tennis... Today sort of showed what kind of intensity two guys that play single-hand backhands can bring to tennis. I'm happy I got away with a win. Things weren't easy at the very end but I just kept fighting."
Confidence played a crucial role in Tsitsipas's comeback, as he believed in his ability to fight back and slowly gain the upper hand. His confidence truly shone in the second set, where he served exceptionally well and found his rhythm on the returns.
"I had confidence in my tennis and I knew that bit by bit I would be able to fight back. My confidence showed in that second set where I was just serving really well and started finding my rhythm on the returns. The third set it was just pure fight. He's not someone that's going to give up and he hates even giving the slightest to you in terms of free points. I knew I was dealing with something big and that tie-break, it was just pure cash."
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