Exclusive Interview: Stefanos Tsitsipas’ New Year’s resolution is to beat Raphael Nadal

"The contribution of Greek athletes is important to the progress of our country," Tsitsipas says in exclusive interview with Neos Kosmos


Elite tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas has had indisputable success on the tennis court, leaving crowds around the world in awe.

With a strong fan base in Melbourne, his presence on the Australian Open is pivotal to drawing Greek Australian spectators.

There are high expectations as the young player is undoubtedly one of the finest young stars on the ATP tour at the moment with a game that is pure delight when he is on his game.

With Team Greece pinning its hopes on the young star, he gave an exclusive interview to Neos Kosmos and gave us a glimpse of his off-court personality.

As Coelho states in his book ‘The Alchemist’, which, as far as I know, you have read, “when you want something, the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” Do you think this phrase is characteristic of your career so far?
It is, for sure. I think the phrase generally represents, for better or for worse, how the world works.

READ MORE: Greek sensation Stefanos Tsitsipas secures his place in Aus Open semifinals [VIDEOS + PHOTOS]

What is it that gives you personal pleasure? Your achievements? Always having your family by your side? Your hobbies? Or maybe a combination of all?
For me, joy and happiness, often come from, for example, being successful in tennis, from an achievement by a member of my family or an achievement related to my hobbies. Many different and beautiful things have happened in my life so far and I could say that, my personal pleasure is a result of it all. Of course, my career also plays a big role and I want to offer pleasure, not only to myself, but to others as well.

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Katerina Hatzi. Photo: Supplied

Last year, you told Neos Kosmos that you consider yourself a good representative of the sport for Greece. Do you still stand by that statement?
At the moment, we do not have many representatives of the sport from our country. Therefore, my own contribution, not only in tennis, but to the Greek sporting world in general, makes me particularly proud, especially the fact that I have a place in the world rankings, and always hoping for something more. It is important that I make a contribution to Greek sports, just like many other young people do, but also athletes from different sports. This is important for our culture and the progress of our country through sports.

Despite your age, you seem to have a lot of self-control and are focused on your goal, which requires a lot of sacrifice. Do you think that the lifestyle you follow deprives you of situations other people your age can easily experience in their everyday lives?

My life keeps me utterly satisfied. There are not many things I miss out on. For example, there are times where I want to stay at home for longer, but, at the same time, people who can go out and have fun or have a normal life spending several hours at home, they may also lack certain opportunities that a career can bring. I started building my career at a very young age and I have made sure to remain committed to what I chose to do. It is a great opportunity for me to be able to stand on the “pedestal” and make my dreams come true. In addition, the fact that I can travel and experience different places every week is, I think, a great advantage and something very positive. Playing and meeting new people is magical. In that regard, it’s one of the best professions one can choose.

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Your recent actions and comments regarding COVID-19 caused negative reactions. For example, on the one hand we watched a video message from you explaining how to protect ourselves and others from contracting coronavirus. On the other hand, we saw some photos of you from a party in Dubai. What do you have to say about all this?

Regarding that incident, I had followed all the local protocols. I was in Dubai for my preparation for 2021. It had been a long time since I last spent New Year’s with my family. I was there with all my siblings and I felt very happy that we celebrated the New Year together. In Dubai, the rules are completely different from those in Greece. People are allowed on the streets without having to wear a mask and, on that night, the people who were there could gather to celebrate the New Year. We also did not need to wear masks. I did not break any rules, I followed them all. I had a good time, which is something I had not done in a long time. I do not see anything negative in this. People see something and it automatically creates a bad impression in them, or even a sense of jealousy. It does not stop me from doing what I do. I can understand that, for many, what happened seems unfair, even though I did not break any rules.

There have been numerous times where we have seen a more “intense” side of you on the court. Is this something that only happens occasionally on the court or is it part of your personality? Would you try to handle some situations differently?

I try to handle some situations on the court as calmly as possible. However, the intensity of the match and the difficulty that accompanies it can create a completely different situation. You may lose yourself. I try to manage it, but it is not always easy. The outbursts I had on the court are part of myself. It shows how much I want to be successful and how much I want to overcome the difficulties of the match. It is not always easy to show the “perfect” Stefanos. I also will not hide the fact that, a lot of the times, when I get upset, I play better.

If you had not chosen tennis, what other sport do you think you could have been involved in?

I think I would have played chess.

At the very young age of 22, you have managed to rank among the top players in tennis, something that has given you financial freedom and fame. What effect does this have on your character? Do you think that there is an aspect of yourself that you need to improve or even change?

I would not say that has had much of an effect on my personality.

Financial freedom allows me to support my three siblings, who also want to play tennis.

It is greatly beneficial that I am in the position I am so far.

One day, I want to be able to have a home with my family. I would love to do this because I have worked very hard for the luxuries that are now part of my life. But that does not affect my character. I try to be humble, because I know I’m still in the beginning and I want to achieve a lot more, in terms of my career and personal life.

I think one of the biggest challenges I have to go through is being able to stay the same without changing my character. There will be many people who will want to enter my life or be part of my inner circle. Therefore, I have to be careful and choose the right people with whom I want to spend my free time off court.
One thing I see as a great achievement that characterizes me is my patience as well as the fact that I can see through a person’s character, without having to talk to them for a long time. What I would like to change is to be a little more observant and less irritated during matches.

Aside from the constant traveling you do because of your job, though nowadays limited due to the pandemic, I have seen on Instagram that you like traveling in general and have visited countries like Oman and Iceland, for example. What makes you want to get to know different cultures?

I am a world citizen, therefore, I want to explore this beautiful and impressive planet of ours. I really like travelling because I have the opportunity to meet new people and see new things. Being stationary does not allow me to explore something new or gain experiences I can share with others. Each trip is a new experience. You do not know what will appear in front of you. Most of the time, unorganized trips are the best, in my opinion. Also, when you are a fan of photography and videography, travelling allows you to do great things. I believe that my hobbies have opened up my horizons and have given me the opportunity to discover things. If I had not been willing to discover them, everything that has happened so far in my life would not have happened.

I know you are a big fan of technology. This is evident from your love for photography, cinematography and the fact that you are a fan of Tesla. Do you think that, in the future, technology will help humanity move forward or not?

Technology, in the future, will be either the ultimate disaster or the ultimate miracle. I strongly believe in this. It depends, of course, on how humanity will use it. I am a big fan of Tesla, it is a company with a bright future. I admire technology and believe that the big changes in the future will be related to it. It is worth showing an interest in it.