Stefanos Tsitsipas dreams of making movies one day but right now the Greek number one has his sights firmly set on writing his own Hollywood ending in Paris this summer – at the scene of one of his finest Grand Slam performances.
Tsitsipas, an 11-time winner on the ATP tour (Association of Tennis Professionals), reached the final of the French Open in 2021 and he is looking forward to being back at Roland Garros, only this time with a medal as his overall goal.
As a Greek athlete, he feels a special affinity to the Games and he’s approaching the competition determined to be at his best, both physically and mentally.
“Greece and the Games for sure fit in like bread and butter together and it is something that has been a dream of mine since I started playing tennis since I first picked up a tennis racket. I always wanted to be an athlete that gets to participate in something like that,” says Tsitsipàs.
“Getting a good preparation before the Games start in August is something that I’m really looking forward to. I’ve had great success there a few years ago at the same stadium playing the finals of the Roland-Garros. Coming back there with that confidence and that living in the back side of my mind allows me to strive and work towards the same end goal that I ended up pulling off in this amazing run that I had a few years ago.”
His recipe for success for Paris after being in Tokyo in 2020 is straightforward: “My strategy is making sure my body is maintained at the best possible condition and shape. It is obviously eating well, sleeping well, and exercising regularly. Stretching is important for me too. I think all these are elements that contribute to my well-being and making sure these things are prevented. Definitely something that I’m focusing on a lot in the next few months because I want a healthy mind, a healthy body and a healthy Stephanos out on the court so that can perform at the highest of levels.”
My strength for sure is my mental part, the way I handle tough situations, during matches and pressure moments. It has defined me as an athlete, it was the reason I succeeded in the first place and found myself in a great position as a tennis player.”
‘El Greco’, a nickname Tsitsipas would like to be seen in the headlines, would love to work someday in the film industry as an actor or a director, but for now, he is content with putting a Hollywood-like ending to his journey to this summer event.
“Of course to be aiming for a medal is something extraordinary. For me, that’s the best gift that you can provide to yourself and it’s something that lives with you for the rest of your life,” concludes.
“The place that I would like to thrive outside of the tennis court would probably be the cinema world. I can picture myself as an actor but I can also picture myself as a director so it lays in between somewhere. I just love this world”.
More about Stefanos Tsitsipas HERE
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