"I was in a cage and someone decided to unlock it, I suddenly felt free" - Stefanos Tsitsipas recalls win over Rafael Nadal at Australian Open 2021

Stefanos Tsitsipas regards his comeback win over Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Australian Open as "one of the best comebacks" of his career so far, which also happens to be his only victory against the Spaniard in Grand Slams.

The duo have faced off twice in Majors so far, with the 22-time Grand Slam champion beating Tsitsipas in straight sets at the 2019 Australian Open previously. It was a big loss for the Greek, who was on the receiving end of a bagel in the third set.

Speaking in a recent interview with Red Bull, the World No. 4 recalled the world of difference between the two encounters, remarking that it was a "different Stefanos Tsitsipas" each time. The 24-year-old was of the opinion that he was "really impatient" the first time, to the point that he wanted to prove himself by going for unnecessarily extravagant shots.

"There were two times when I found myself in the same situation with the same opponent, but [it was] a different Stefanos each time. The first time I faced Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open in the semi-finals [in 2019], I was really impatient," Tsitsipas said. "I remember thinking, 'OK, I’m playing against one of the best. I really need to prove myself with big shots and go for it.'"

In 2021, however, the Greek understood what he was doing wrong after going down two sets, leading to him telling himself to be patient and wait out Nadal. Tsitsipas reminisced on how he advised himself to just enjoy playing and make it a "fun game", which ended up working out for him in the end, as he earned a memorable 3-6, 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-4, 7-5 win.

Talking about how he felt after the win, his second overall against Nadal, the World No. 4 stated that it was like finally being released from a cage and that he experienced complete freedom after the result.

"Two years later, I faced [Rafael Nadal] again at the same tournament, this time in the quarterfinals. After going two sets down, I understood what I was doing wrong. I remember coming to an agreement with myself, saying, “OK, you’re going to become patient. You’re going to wait. You’re going to spend every single minute on the court enjoying the play and just make it a fun game," Tsitsipas said.

"It turned out to be one of the best comebacks in my career so far. How can I describe it? It felt like I was in a cage and someone decided to unlock it. I suddenly felt free," he added.

---

"It was a pure fight, It was all mental" - Stefanos Tsitsipas on his 2021 Australian Open win over Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas at the 2021 Australian Open

Expanding on the win further, Stefanos Tsitsipas added that every decision he made that night against Rafael Nadal "felt right" and that he achieved it by decreasing his expectations of himself. The Greek further opined that it was a "pure fight" against the Mallorcan, a mental victory that he managed to pull off.

"Every decision I went for felt right. It’s what I like to call flow. I was able to reach that flow by decreasing my expectations," Tsitsipas said. "It was a pure fight. It was all mental."

The 24-year-old compared his adrenaline rush during the match to a drug, commenting that he felt like he was playing with all his soul, not just depending on his skills anymore.

"It was excruciating, physically and mentally – I don’t think I’ve ever played at such high focus levels for so long. Everything felt like it made sense," Tsitsipas said. "It’s like a drug when you’re able to experience it – it brings you to another level. You’re not playing with your skill anymore, you’re playing with your soul."