Tsitsipas Grateful For Acapulco Support: 'Crowd Show Me Love & Dedication'
Stefanos Tsitsipas says his record against Alexander Zverev will mean little when he faces the German on Saturday in the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC final.
Tsitsipas, who was speaking after he beat qualifier Lorenzo Musetti 6-1, 6-3 in the Acapulco semi-finals on Friday night, leads Zverev 5-1 in their ATP Head2Head series.
“It means something, but it doesn’t mean anything for tomorrow,” said Tsitsipas. “I’ve been playing good tennis and I’ve been feeling well on the court. He’s had the same route as me to get to where he is right now. I see it as a fresh, new start. I try not to think about the Head2Head.
“For me every single match counts and no matter if I am 10-0 up or 0-10 down, I try and reassess, and each match acts as a lesson. I think it’s the first time we’ve faced each other in a final, so I will try and bring some good tennis.”
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World No. 5 Tsitsipas, who is competing in Acapulco for the first time this week, has won his past five matches against Zverev and is hoping to draw upon the support of the crowd. The 22-year-old Greek, who will be bidding to capture his sixth ATP Tour trophy on Saturday, has yet to capture an ATP 500 (0-5 record).
“The crowd show me their love and dedication,” said Tsitsipas. “I love them back. We feel one another. I think Mexicans share a lot in common with Greeks, we are passionate people and we appreciate high quality sport. The fans have been the key part of my route to the final.
“I want the crowd to be as one with me. I feel the people [and] I feel the need to give [them] as much positivity as I receive.”