Tallon Griekspoor is aware of he faces a fantastic problem Monday on the BNP Paribas Open, the place he’ll play prime seed Carlos Alcaraz within the third spherical. But it’s a take a look at the Dutchman is worked up for.
“I really do [like the challenge]. I enjoy those matches, I enjoy the big stadiums. I enjoy the moments of playing these guys,” Griekspoor informed ATPTour.com. “I prefer to play on Court 1 rather than Court 7. It’s not always a good sign to play on Court 1, but I like the challenge of playing those guys. I feel like those are the matches that make you better.”
The 26-year-old has performed loads of top-tier opponents this season, from Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas to Andrey Rublev and Jannik Sinner. Last yr at Wimbledon, he misplaced to Alcaraz in straight units.
“Wasn’t my best match, I lost in three. I thought that on grass, if you want to beat the guy at some surface, it would have been grass in my eyes. But he played well there, I didn’t play too great,” Griekspoor mentioned. “He’s one of the best players in the world, that’s for sure. He’s so young. He’s injured, he comes back straight away, he plays so well. So it’s going to be really tough, but at the end I really like the challenge of playing him. Why not?”
Griekspoor believes that the sheer high quality of Alcaraz’s bodily sport is daunting, from his energy and pace to his drop shot and talent to combine issues up with techniques like serving and volleying.
“He has basically the whole package. I don’t know what he doesn’t have. He has everything,” Griekspoor mentioned. “I feel the bodily half is unbelievable and I feel mentally, for his age, he’s actually far [ahead]. I can not offer you one weak level of his sport. He confirmed it already for a complete yr or two years already, confirmed the entire world why he’s among the best gamers.
“He’s just a talent. I think it’s not even good to compare people with him because I think he’s just [at] another level. He’s one of those guys. Unbelievable player, that’s for sure.”
Griekspoor has been spectacular himself this yr. At a career-high No. 36 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, he gained his first ATP Tour title in Pune and made the semi-finals in Rotterdam to contribute to a 13-4 file.
“I’m feeling good. Winning a lot of matches, winning my first title, making the third round of a Slam, really good week at home in Rotterdam,” Griekspoor mentioned. “Those are things that help a lot [to] give you a good mood. It gives you confidence, playing well, winning matches that I need to win. Not much to complain [about].”
The Dutchman factors to his work ethic as one of many largest contributors to the success. Not solely does he work onerous, however he relishes doing so. However, that has not at all times been the case.
“I remember I had private lessons and I was asking my coach every five minutes ‘What is the time?’ I wanted to be done, I wanted to go home, to go and play on the PlayStation,” Griekspoor mentioned. “At that time you’re 14, 15, 16, no matter. You are so younger. I didn’t actually at all times benefit from the tennis at the moment. You went to high school, you had enjoyable at college. I needed to go to apply and all my mates have been having enjoyable collectively.
“I guess now it paid off, but I was not always the guy who enjoyed tennis the most when I was younger. Now I do enjoy it a lot, I can’t imagine life without it. I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”
First-Time Winner Spotlight: Tallon Griekspoor
There was not one explicit second when his mindset shifted. Gradually over time, he realised what was essential.
“When I was young, I was a little bit of a spoiled kid. I had some talent, everybody said, ‘Okay, you have talent.’ But at some point you realise, ‘Okay, you have the talent, but you need to work hard,’” Griekspoor mentioned. “Since then I have enjoyed the hard work. I enjoy the tough moments on court and I feel like those tough moments are giving so much more joy to the good moments.”
What is an indication of his dedication? Griekspoor admitted that the primary day of every preseason he usually throws up. Once his brief vacation is off on the finish of the yr, it’s proper again to enterprise. That has been clear in his 2023 efficiency.
“I really believe in hard work paying off in the end. If I look at myself [at the] end of last year, I was not winning a lot of matches, but I was not playing badly. I was playing alright, I just lost all of the close ones, three sets,” Griekspoor mentioned. “This yr I’ve gained all of them. I really feel like [much] hasn’t modified.
“I just feel like hard work is paying off. I’m just trying to keep working hard every day, pushing myself, the people around me are pushing me. I feel like this is probably the biggest [reason for my] success this year.”
Source web site: www.atptour.com
