I have no intention to break rhythm: Stefanos Tsitsipas on his recurring bathroom breaks during games
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A spate of top names, including 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem, have spoken on this issue since Andy Murray’s initial concern over Stefanos Tsitsipas’ bathroom antics. The Scot was visibly frustrated at the end of his first-round encounter against Tsitsipas at the US Open. Alexander Zverev also added to this discussion in one of his post-match conferences.
The conversation surrounding Stefanos Tsitsipas’ frequent – and unusually lengthy – toilet breaks seems to be far from over. The Greek recently appeared in an interview with ‘Sports Bild’ explaining the drama around his recurring bathroom trips during games.
A spate of top names have spoken on this issue including Thiem, Murray and Zverev
One of the incidents that put Tsitsipas in the eye of the storm during the season was his recurring trips to the bathroom at games, something that generated annoyance in some of his rivals, such as Alexander Zverev and Andy Murray, who complained about it.
The Scot was visibly frustrated at the end of his first-round encounter against Tsitsipas in the US Open. Murray mentioned that he regards the Greek as a great player, however, had lost respect for him due to his bathroom antics during the crucial moments of the game which breaks the momentum of the game.
Alexander Zverev also added to the discussion. The German first took a jibe at his fellow Next Gen star while answering a question about possible challengers for Novak Djokovic at this year’s US Open back in August. Zverev stated Tsitsipas can play well “if he doesn’t go to the moon and back for a toilet break”, in an obvious reference to the Greek’s on-court behavior.
When asked during the interview about his bathroom visits during games, World No.3 defended himself by saying – “My intention is not to disturb anyone’s rhythm, it is not a tactical tool. Anyway, I only look at myself and not the opponent. Even after winning a set 6-0, I went to the bathroom and changed my things. “
He further explained – “It always has to do with external conditions. I never did it at the Indian Wells tournament because the conditions were so dry. I didn’t sweat that much as before in Cincinnati and at the US Open. The circumstances were different and I responded accordingly.”
Read the full interview here –
Tsitsipas had been eliminated in the second round of the Masters 1000 in Paris, where he only played six games and had to retire in his debut. He accumulated two titles this year – Monte Carlo and Lyon and lost three finals – Acapulco, Barcelona and Roland Garros. The last stop for the World No.3 will be at the ATP Finals in Turin.
Also Read: No Big three, we’ve only Big 1, Stefanos Tsitsipas on Novak Djokovic
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Nihar Khopkar
(191 Articles Published)