It's all relative. To call Stefanos Tsitsipas's recent months "rough," as the Greek did himself, is a testament to the sky-high level the former world No. 3 has displayed at the peak of his powers.
The 25-year-old was solid but unspectacular for the first three months of the 2024 season, compiling an 11-7 record without a final appearance or a signature win. In February, he fell out of the Top 10 for the first time since he initially broke into that elite group in March 2019. Less than two months later, he's back with a bang.
Tsitsipas won his third Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters crown on Sunday, backing up his semifinal upset of Jannik Sinner with a dominant final performance against Casper Ruud. He also knocked off Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals, notching three Top 10 wins in four days after just one in the past 15 months.
"I did need a week like this a lot, especially the rough months that I have been through the last half of 2023 until now," Tsitsipas said after his 6-1, 6-4 final victory against 2022 US Open finalist Ruud.
"It hasn't been the best of times in terms of where I wanted to be, so getting back here and winning the title is something that I was definitely not aiming for and it came naturally."
During his relative slump, naysayers wondered if Tsitsipas had peaked early in his career, or if his one-handed backhand was a liability in the modern game. Those on the inside never wavered in their belief.
"I never had a doubt he would play this level," said the Greek's father and coach, Apostolos Tsitsipas. "For sure never had a doubt. But, you know, Stefanos, he's a dreamer. I could say that also he's still young in his soul, in his mind.
"As every young person, you know, they need to believe in life, they need to believe in the targets they put. That's why we are there, to remind them that they deserve to be whatever they are."
Searching for answers last summer, Tsitsipas gave his father "some time off" to take a break from tennis. The pair remained connected digitally, but Mark Philippoussis stepped into the role of lead traveling coach.
That setup was scrapped after Tsitsipas followed his Los Cabos title in August with early exits in Toronto, Cincinnati and the US Open. Reunited with his father on the ATP Tour, the Greek reached consecutive semifinals in Antwerp, Vienna and Paris down the stretch of the 2023 season.
After a stop-start open to the new year, Tsitsipas now feels his level is better than ever.
"If I have to compare my level of tennis with the last two times that I have won [in Monte Carlo], I would probably say this time has been the best, that I have come up with some incredible tennis," said the Greek.
While he won his maiden Monaco title without dropping a set in 2021, the first of back-to-back trophies in the principality, Tsitsipas pointed to his 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win against Sinner as proof that his game has hit new heights.
"I had an opponent in the semifinal that is a world-class tennis player right now who refused to lose to anyone, and he's been on a very good streak," he said of the Italian, who has been the player to beat this season with titles at the Australian Open, Rotterdam and Miami.
"So overcoming that obstacle, it's definitely a sign that my tennis is progressing and I'm able to push those players. Topping it off, the win today with prevailing and coming victorious towards the end against Casper, who is a very good clay-court player—he has shown that by playing multiple Roland Garros finals—it's definitely a sign that I'm there and the consistency's showing, and definitely I'm capable of big things."
Tsitsipas has been known to share motivational and inspiring quotes in interviews and on social media. As he continued to talk with the press after his Monte Carlo triumph, he delivered one of his own, riffing on the maxim that says if you're not getting better, you're getting worse":
"I just need to keep an open mind, keep improving, because if you don't improve, things tend to fluctuate and not quite go towards the same path that I'm building towards," he analyzed.
"I saw a few things today I feel like I can improve on. I usually say that perhaps after losses, but even after wins there is plenty to learn from. What I can take from that is there are a few bits and pieces that I can add to my game that can help me even better."
