My slice backhand does more damage and I can move much better," Tsitsipas discusses his relationship with clay

Tsitsipas made a strong start at Roland-Garros by defeating Argentina's Etcheverry in the first round (7-5, 6-3, 6-4). A fan of clay courts, the Greek has won three Masters 1000 titles on this surface, not to mention his 2021 final in Paris. Speaking to the press, the 26-year-old player reflected on his connection with clay:

"The area where I grew up had five clay courts but no hard courts. So, as a kid, I developed my tennis on this surface. When I was 14 or 15, I started playing on hard courts and had to improve and adapt my game. But it’s true that those years of training on clay have always stayed with me.

I remember spending hours with my coach studying the most effective way to move on the court, how to slide, how to position myself in the right place at the right time. Plus, on this surface, my slice backhand does more damage, and I can move much better.

Sure, it’s a bit tough in the first few days, but it’s a wonderful feeling to be able to use those kinds of movements and slide on the court with a naturalness that other surfaces don’t allow. I feel like I can defend against shots that, on other surfaces, would be much more difficult.