Stefanos Tsitsipas dealt with an elbow issue in Indian Wells that saw him perform quite a bit under his usual level.
Tsitsipas has had elbow issues in the past, and this time around, the balls might be the culprit. He's not the only player who has dealt with some elbow issues in the past months, though things are trending in the right direction, according to him.
"Everything is getting better and I'm heading toward the right direction. [I hope] to play pain-free and just be able to step out there and show something different than Indian Wells because Indian Wells was a big struggle... I hope I get to play with more of an element of fun on the court and not think too much about my arm."
Tsitsipas loves to play and compete but he was always very serious when it comes to his health. It's not something he plays around and generally avoids playing even with the slightest of injuries because it can really backfire.
"My health is the most important thing that I could have in tennis. When I'm feeling healthy, everything falls into place nicely. I'm enjoying myself on the court, I'm getting creative, I can mix up my game and I feel like nothing can go wrong. This is what my aim is for this tournament, to just play pain-free and see how my arm responds on these next few days."
He also discussed a shift of mentality compared to a few years ago admitting to taking more liberties then before.
"I have been very open to be a bit more loose and not so strict with myself the last few years, comparing myself to three or four years ago when I got started. I was extremely disciplined. Not that I'm not now, but I can let go sometimes."
"For example, I would just spend the entire two weeks sometimes locked inside my room and go nowhere. I do allow myself a little bit more freedom now and I think it has benefitted me a lot and gave me the opportunity to also grow as a person and not be 100 per cent focussed on the tennis every single week."