Stefanos Tsitsipas said his win over Pablo Cuevas in Hamburg carried extra special significance for him.
Tsitsips, the reigning ATP Finals champion battled to a 7-5, 6-4 win on Thursday to extend his head to head advantage over the Uruguayan to 3-0.
However, he says wins against Cuevas are always special to him for one simple reason.
“I have a lot of respect for him,” Stefanos Tsitsipas said of Cuevas.
“He is a very difficult opponent to face, particularly on this surface.
“He is a good friend and one of my idols growing up. It was a great match and I enjoyed it.
Tsitsipas has struggled for form since tennis returned after the enforced coronavirus break, but has he found a way to regain his touch?
“There was a certain point during the match when I forgot that I had to win,” he explained.
“I was just enjoying the game, enjoying the crowd and playing with the most positive vibes, the most positive energy.”
