“There was some voodoo stuff going on,” Stefanos Tsitsipas admits that ‘mental barrier’ stopped him from beating Carlos Alcaraz in Roland Garros quarterfinals

The match was no different from the previous five encounters against the 21-year-old Spanish player.

“There was some voodoo stuff going on,” Stefanos Tsitsipas admits that ‘mental barrier’ stopped him from beating Carlos Alcaraz in Roland Garros quarterfinals

Carlos Alcaraz, Stefanos Tsitsipas (Images via Imago)

Stefanos Tsitsipas admitted that he was feeling more confident after arriving in Paris for the French Open and got hurt when Carlos Alcaraz defeated him in the quarterfinals. Tsitsipas secured all his wins in the previous rounds without much effort, but he knew that facing Alcaraz would be the biggest challenge on his way to his maiden Grand Slam title. 

The match was no different from the previous five encounters against the 21-year-old Spanish player. In straight sets, 6-3, 7-6(7-3), 6-4, Alcaraz secured the victory to set up a semifinal clash with Jannik Sinner. After the match, Tsitsipas admitted that some mental obstacles hampered him from beating the World No.3. 

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I just haven't been able to come up with anything good. He, in a way, overpowers me but is also patient enough to do it in a very constructive way. I just need to get through that mental barrier. There was some voodoo stuff going on today on the court. I wasn't able to just get the ball where I wanted. It's really unbelievable.
Stefanos Tsitsipas said at the press conference 

Tsitsipas kick-started his campaign after his quarterfinal defeat to Nicolas Jarry in the Italian Open. He was aiming to reach the Roland Garros final for the second time, having advanced to the summit clash in 2021, where Novak Djokovic lifted his second title on the clay court of Paris by winning in five sets. 

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Stefanos Tsitsipas congratulates Carlos Alcaraz after heartbreaking defeat 

Stefanos Tsitsipas explained how Carlos Alcaraz‘s game sets him apart from the other players, comparing it with Novak Djokovic’s game. The Greek said Alcaraz’s shot quality, which also has a lot of topspin, is different from the other players. He accepted his heartbreaking defeat and congratulated the World No.3 for his success. 

Stefanos Tsitsipas
Stefanos Tsitsipas, Carlos Alcaraz (Images via Imago) 
I felt more confident than I usually am. Maybe that hurt me, I guess. I don't know. I was pretty sure I could face Carlos today and maybe do something different from any other time that I have played. The kid is just too good. I can only congratulate him because he's really playing amazingly.
Stefanos Tsitsipas said at the press conference 

Alcaraz will be facing Jannik Sinner on June 7. The Italian, who went past Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinal, will become the World No.1 next week as Djokovic withdrew from the tournament due to his knee injury ahead of his quarterfinal clash with Casper Ruud. 

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