Stefanos Tsitsipas produced a brilliant shot during his third-round match at the 2024 Roland Garros.
The Greek player had to take on one of the best clay-court players of recent years, Diego Schwartzman, in the third round of the clay-court major. However, the Argentinian couldn't provide much resistance, as Tsitsipas won the match, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.
It was clear that the 24-year-old player, who now spent 200 weeks in the Top 10 on the ATP Tour, was feeling well on the court, and that wasn't highlighted better by anything else than his shot in the third set of the match.
Tsitsipas was leading already 6-2, 6-2, and he was up also in the third set, serving to confirm his break and lead 4-1. With two game points in his hand at 40-15, he produced a spectacular around-the-net shot that entertained the French crowd but also certainly added to his confidence.
After the match, the Greek, who was happy about the match victory, was also asked by Mats Wilander about his incredible around-the-net winner and when he decided to play the shot, which is not often seen on regular tennis courts, given the width of the net because of the doubles matches played on the same courts.
"We never practice that, it was a one-off. It was the very last millisecond that I have decided, you know what, forget the net, we don't need it on that particular occasion."
"I saw myself really out of the court, I saw that there was a chance, there was a gap there that I could utilize to hit that shot and it just went through."
More than winning the point, it was about the satisfying feeling and beauty of the shot for Tsitsipas, who admitted that he doesn't even remember when he last hit a similar shot.
"It was a very good satisfying feeling, getting that winner down the line. I don't think I've done it before, or maybe I've done it in practice, I don't know. But long time that this hasn't appeared, so felt unbelievable, just like hitting a clean baseball shot, home run."