French Open 2021: Stefanos Tsitsipas - sun god with a hard work ethic
Stefanos Tsitsipas can set a new milestone in his career on Friday (live on ServusTV and in our live ticker). If he beat Alexander Zverev at the French Open, the Greek would be in a Grand Slam final for the first time.
by Jörg Allmeroth
last edit: Jun 10, 2021, 02:14 pm
In the universe of social media, Stefanos Tsitsipas is all too happy to present himself as a casual sun god: With a flowing mane and a bare upper body, the world-class tennis player speaks to his youngsters in the elaborate clips, while decoratively showing off the trained muscles. “Wild and free” is the young man's favorite motto, who at first glance looks more like a beach boy, a surf guru or a bodybuilder. But mostly the nominally fifth best tennis player in the world, as an influencer, is interested in topics beyond sport, for example, in the pose of the thoughtful philosopher, he sometimes speaks about the littering of the oceans, climate change or the destruction of the environment in the Amazon region.
Tsitsipas has a lot to announce, he has a pronounced sense of mission as well as a seldom paralyzed urge to communicate. “If you think big, you can also achieve great things”, the newcomer feels attached to this credo in life as well as in sport, but a head of character who, quite profanely, has found a second home in the tax-poor Monte Carlo. And who is practically a neighbor of the colleague in the small principality on the Mediterranean, whom he wants to spoil the fun on the Center Court in Paris today. Tsitsipas versus Alexander Zverev is the Grand Slam semi-final, one of the most important games in the careers of the two next generation experts. A match that promises tension, spectacle, drama, possibly over the full distance. "I feel ready to go all the way here," says Tsitsipas, who leads the German giant 5-2 in a personal comparison.
Tsitsipas and Zverev get closer in the Laver Cup
Tsitsipas and Zverev are not connected in heartfelt dislike, they have even won for a long time in the European selection in the tennis battle of the continents - the so-called Laver Cup, a fun show competition for industry stars. The 22-year-old Greek and the 24-year-old German are not big friends either, from time to time there was lead-laden air between the ambitious youngsters. For example at the Masters tournament in Canada three years ago, in which Zverev scourged the quality of the game as an "absolute disaster" after his painful defeat against the young Greeks. Tsitsipas was not amused and finally countered dryly in a small circle, losing is also an art.
At first glance, Tsitsipas appears like a bon vivant who sometimes lets be five. Especially in the early years in the traveling circus, many, including established forces, were blinded by the newcomer's hippie appearance, believing that he lacked the necessary seriousness, the necessary consistency for a brilliant career in the tough competitive world. But behind Tsitsipas' rise is a hard work ethic, willpower, and enormous assertiveness. At the latest with his World Cup victory in 2019, in which he inherited the title from Zverev, the doubters and pessimists were taught better, it was the early breakthrough for the creative artist who established himself among the world's best and repeatedly notable victories, especially against the strongest codified.
Wilander praises the Greek
As with his non-sporting activities, which alternate between slapstick, nonsense, seriousness and political confession, Tsitsipas is difficult to pin down on the courts - he is “in the best sense a man with many faces,” says the Swedish ex-number 1 -Player Mats Wilander, "he has many options in every moment, always has what it takes to surprise you and catch you on the wrong foot." His mentor, the academy operator and Serena Williams coach Patrick Mouratouglu, says of Tsitsipas: "He has the total package to conquer the tennis world. He's cool, he's creative, he almost always has the right solution to a problem. ”However, he suffers from a phenomenon that many of the artistically versatile players know, the phenomenon of having to choose between many options from your own arsenal . "Sometimes," says TV expert Boris Becker, "that leads to you losing your line - and then the game."
Tsitsipas and Zverev both came to Paris with brilliant results and a promising clay court shape. Nothing surprising in this semi-final duel between the two over 25 players, who both won a Masters tournament on clay in advance (Zverev in Madrid, Tsitsipas in Monte Carlo). Tsitsipas recently won in Lyon, right before the French Open, it was a further confirmation of this overall good tennis year, which began with a semi-final participation in the difficult Australian Open. He has been “very satisfied” with the season so far, says the 22-year-old, “but things can definitely go up.” Ideally in Paris, with the entry into the first Grand Slam final.
Here the single tableau in Roland Garros
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