Stefanos Tsitsipas - "I didn't have many friends"
When Stefanos Tsitsipas starts philosophizing, you should listen carefully. Like the latest edition of the “Behind the Racket” podcast.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Aug 01, 2020, 03:41 pm
The Greek tennis tradition is not a long one. Basically, it starts with Stefanos Tsitsipas' entry into professional tennis in 2016. Since then, the 21-year-old has won five titles on the ATP Tour, the biggest one last November at the ATP Finals in London. However, Tsitsipas not only leaves its mark on sport - the man from Athens is also characterized by a high degree of self-criticism and self-reflection. In press conferences after his matches like the epic loss to Stan Wawrinka 2019 in Paris.
Or in longer podcast formats such as the latest edition of "Behind the Racket", in which Stefanos Tsitsipas also spoke about the high expectations in his home country.
“There have been times when I haven't been successful. I started playing futures and doubted myself. I wasn't sure if I was good enough to play professional tennis. My home country has been through a tough time; Greece was on the brink of bankruptcy. The whole population suffered. My father's siblings were unemployed and could not take care of their families. People looked at me like I was running the country and thought I was part of the problem. ”
Tsitsipas in the tradition of great philosophers
"I felt isolated," continued Tsitsipas. “I wasn't home to see what was going on because I was traveling. I needed support. My mental coach passed on his wisdom and inspired me. Then I said to myself: `You have dedicated your whole life to tennis, you cannot just give up. You have to keep going.´ I play tennis to prove that my home country has a great history and can be successful. Tennis is a very introverted sport and we have to do everything on our own. We have a team that accompanies us around the world, but I have spent countless sleepless nights alone. All the trips and competitions cause a lot of stress and I became very lonely. "
“I was an introvert and I didn't have many friends. When I started on the tour, I thought I would make new friends. But the opposite was the case. Most players don't want to open up. It seems to me that players don't want to be friends with each other because they think that someone is stealing a secret that they can then be used to beat them. They're probably just taking the whole thing too seriously. In any case, friends would make traveling much less lonely. "
Stefanos Tsitsipas has long since recognized that there is a philosopher in him. "I am philosophical, I come from a country with a history full of philosophers. I don't know if I was Pythagoras or Socrates in a previous life, but I could live well with both. ”