"I see grey, some other people see green" - Stefanos Tsitsipas displeased with US claycourt tournaments

Stefanos Tsitsipas has shed more light on his camera message after his Round of 16 match at the ongoing Monte-Carlo Masters.

On Thursday, April 13, Tsitsipas defeated Nicolas Jarry in straight sets to progress to the fourth round of the tournament. During the post-match tradition where the winner writes something on the camera lens, Tsitsipas left everyone scratching their heads with his words.

"Clay court in the US is like a unicorn on a skateboard," the Greek wrote.

Later, in a conversation with Tennis Channel's Prakash Amritraj, Tsitsipas explained that he was alluding to the relative lack of claycourts in the USA. Tsitsipas called clay a "traditional surface" in Europe, and he finds the situation very different in the US.

"I think it's quite clear. I don't have to further explain what's going on. It's a way of life, it's a lifestyle. You have it at old country clubs. It's such a traditional surface in Europe," he said.

The Greek also brought up the different colored claycourts prevalent in the USA, as compared to the predominantly red clay used in Europe. Tsitsipas claimed that the claycourts in the USA look green to some and grey to others.

"I just wish we would see more claycourts in the US," he added. "I know it's not traditional there. What is it? Grey? Some calls it grey, some green. You see that's also another controversial thing over there. I see grey, some other people see green. But I'd love to see a tournament in the US on the red clay. Absolutely."

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Taylor Fritz awaits Stefanos Tsitsipas in the 2023 Monte-Carlo Masters quarter-finals

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Taylor Fritz at the 2022 Australian Open.

Stefanos Tsitsipas is a two-time defending champion at the Monte-Carlo Masters. The 2021 and 2022 winner extended his winning streak at the Masters 1000 event to 12 matches with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Nicolas Jarry in the third round.

Tsitsipas, who now has a 14-2 win-loss record in Monte-Carlo, is through to the quarter-finals, where he will take on eighth seed Taylor Fritz on Friday, April 14. The American came from a set down to defeat Jiri Lehecka 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 and reach the last-eight stage of the tournament for the second consecutive year.

Fritz will need to dig deep when he takes to the court against the World No. 3, as the head-to-head record is not in his favor. The pair have met thrice to date, with Tsitsipas emerging victorious each time.

They first clashed in the Round Robin stage at the 2019 Laver Cup, where Tsitsipas won 6-2, 1-6, 10-7. Later that year, they met again at the Paris Masters, where the Greek won 7-6(3), 6(3).

The two last locked horns at the 2022 Australian Open, where Tsitsipas, the eventual runner-up, won a hard-fought Round of 16 encounter 4-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.