Stefanos Tsitsipas plays tennis at the Erste Bank Open ATP Tournament in Vienna, Austria on October 24, 2023.
© Mirja Geh/Red Bull Content Pool
Tennis

The rise of Stefanos Tsitsipas: an ATP Finals champion in the making

At just 25 years old, exciting Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas has already won 10 ATP Tour titles and he's now widely considered to be one of the favourites to win a Grand Slam singles title in 2024.
Written by Javier Romero and Klaus Bellstedt
7 min readPublished on

Summary

  1. 1
    A brilliant start
  2. 2
    Keeping the momentum going in 2019
  3. 3
    Raising the bar in 2020
  4. 4
    Showing resilience in 2021
  5. 5
    Making history in 2022
  6. 6
    The complete package
As the curtain closes on a thrilling 2023 tennis season, that now has its last tournament underway - the Nitto ATP Tour Finals – we talk to Stefanos Tsitsipas about the crucial elements of his success and dive into Tsitsipas' ascent to greatness throughout his excetional career thus far, and his hopes of crowning himself as the 2023 Nitto ATP Tour Finals champion.

You have qualified for the ATP-Finals for the 5th year in a row. Was there any key experience this season that made you think: I could make it back to Torino?

It’s an initial goal when you start the season that you qualify for the last tournament of the year. But this is an extremely prestigious event. Not many players can say that they played the ATP Finals once in their career. When you reflect on the year and see that you have made it to the finals it fills my heart with pride. And now it’s one more chance for me to prove something more. There are a lot of emotions and I believe it has equal worth to winning a Grand Slam.

You won the Tour Finals back in 2019. What was your biggest strength then?

It was a mix of my serve, my ground strokes, and my attacking game. Everything was really flowing. I was in a way free during that tournament. I had zero doubt in my head about what I do on the court. There was also a certain lack of expectations that helped me. I was playing against my idols. I wasn’t the favourite. That also helped me especially when getting the first two wins in the first two matches. And then after qualifying for the semi finals, it was the pure passion for my sport

In what way has your game style developed/changed since then?

The physical part of tennis has changed a lot. You need to be more than 100 percent fit to compete on the highest level in this sport. That is a crucial requirement. Building a perfect Tennis player reminds me often of building a new Formula One car. The smallest mistakes you make push you backwards. The physical strength is only a small part but it is definitely one of the most important ones.

Where would you place that 2019 ATP Tour finals win in your career timeline?

I am very determined to win it again. For sure it’s one of my top three moments in my life as a professional tennis player.

2019 was not the first year when you "participated" at the ATP Finals?

I think it was 2016 when I had my first experience at this tournament when the ATP Finals were played in London. At that time I was the number one junior player in the world and I was invited to practice with the pros and warm them up ahead of their matches. For me, it was a brilliant experience. They gave me so much hope to make it one day. And indeed: it got me closer to a higher level.

Body or brain: Which part do you prefer to train?

I definitely like both. The body I train with my fitness coach for countless hours in the gym. For example, to become more flexible and have more reach with certain strokes. For my mind, I have worked with different people, also with psychologists who told me a few things. They told me how my brain works and how it decides in certain situations. I am very interested in that part. I have watched a few documentaries. I read a lot of articles. I am convinced that I haven’t explored the full potential of my brain yet. I am trying to find ways to find those power zones and include these in my professional career. I admire these athletes that focus a lot on these mental areas.

Is there a way you can learn or train a kind of mental consistency so that the efforts on the court eventually pay off?

My mental approach is quite simple: attack and be consistent. Create balls between the lines. I'm seeking for uncomfortable moments on the court that can help me to get better.

Now see the evolution that Tsitsipas went through to get to the 2023 ATP Finals.
01

A brilliant start

Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas poses with his trophy after winning the ATP Stockholm Open tennis tournament men's single final at the Royal Tennis Hall on October 21 2018, in Stockholm, Sweden.

A first main level trophy in Stockholm

© Soren Andersson/AFP via Getty Images

Tsitsipas stormed with authority onto the ATP Tour scene in 2017, quickly establishing himself as one of the most promising young players on tour thanks to his aggressive and dynamic style of play, defined by his polished technique – especially in his serve and iconic one-handed backhand - and an equally powerful and precise forehand. It didn’t take long for him to begin his collection of ATP hardware, winning his maiden trophy in 2018.
02

Keeping the momentum going in 2019

Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece plays a forehand against Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria during Rolex Paris Masters on November 4, 2023 in Paris, France.

The Tsitsipas forehand is one of the most effective in the game

© Antonio Borga/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

In 2019, Tsitsipas enjoyed his breakout season. He kicked it off by reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open. He kept displaying a superior level of tennis in the Madrid Open, where he advanced to the final before extending his momentum through the French Open, in which he reached the semi-finals at just 21-years-old. The season culminated with his triumph at the ATP Finals - securing the title as the youngest champion since Lleyton Hewitt in 2001 - that catapulted him into the tennis limelight.
03

Raising the bar in 2020

Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in action against Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the final on day eight of Internazionali BNL D'Italia at Foro Italico on May 15, 2022 in Rome, Italy.

Tsitsipas' two M1000 titles so far have come on his favoured clay surface

© Julian Finney/Getty Images

Tsitsipas continued his path to dominance in 2020. A finalist at the Australian Open, where he faced Novak Djokovic, he later claimed his fifth ATP Tour title in Marseille and reached the semi-finals of the US Open. Tsitsipas’ notable performances at Grand Slam events from such a young age anticipated he would be and remain among the best in the long run.
04

Showing resilience in 2021

Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece serves to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain in the final during day eight of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters at Monte-Carlo Country Club on April 17, 2022.

The Tsitsipas serve is a key weapon

© Julian Finney/Getty Images

Though 2021 may have been a relatively subdued year for Tsitsipas – especially compared to his remarkable success in past seasons - the Greek star managed to clinch two ATP Tour titles in Monte Carlo and Lyon. He later navigated his way to the French Open semi-finals, a feat that underlined his consistency and tenacity on the court regardless of the usual and inevitable ups and downs of any tennis season.
05

Making history in 2022

Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece during Day Six of the Rolex Paris Masters ATP Masters 1000 at Palais Omnisports de Bercy on November 04, 2023 in Paris, France.

Stef's single-handed backhand is one of the most elegant in the men's game

© Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

Tsitsipas’ 2022 season witnessed perhaps some of his highest peaks in level of play, and certainly the confirmation of the talent and potential he had regularly been showing. He won his first grass title in Mallorca, becoming the first player in the last five years to win at least one trophy on all three surfaces. He then retained his crown in Monte Carlo, exhibiting an extraordinary ability to adapt to different conditions. He continued to perform at the highest level until the end of the season, exploiting his brand of tennis - characterised by a unique combination of power, finesse, and strategic acumen - when he faced Djokovic in the semi-finals of the ATP Tour Finals.
06

The complete package

Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece during the final of the Mifel Tennis Open by Telcel Oppo at Cabo Sports Complex on August 05, 2023 in San José del Cabo, Mexico.

On his way to another title in Los Cabos in 2023

© Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

In this 2023 season, Tsitsipas has kept his ATP title-winning streak alive for the sixth consecutive year with a win in Los Cabos. He now gears up for the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin as world number six, standing as one of the favourites to clinch the title.
The world has already seen what Tsitsipas is capable of thanks to his consistently showcasing a formidable arsenal on the court, an explosive cocktail featuring a thunderous serve, a rock-solid groundstroke game, and unparalleled athleticism that allows him to display outstanding court coverage. Paired with his tenacity, mental toughness, and competitive spirit on court, these ingredients make up the DNA of a gifted player that has his sights set on winning a Grand Slam title soon.
Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, and Holger Rune are Tsitsipas’ rivals in the tournament’s Green Group, where the Greek has been drawn.
Tennis