Stefanos Tsitsipas, the Greek tennis sensation, showcased his wit and humor as he poked fun at Novak Djokovic after securing a hard-fought victory over Jordan Thompson in the Australian Open. The seventh seed dropped the opening set but rallied to win the next three, clinching the match with two tie-breaks.
In a light-hearted comment, Tsitsipas jokingly attributed his lack of an Australian Open title to Djokovic’s supposed selfishness. He stated, “Novak has been able to win here 10 times; he’s a very selfish person! I think if he wakes up one day feeling less selfish, a ‘sharing is caring’ type of vibe… There are two scenarios: if someone is to beat Novak that isn’t me, or it has to be me. We have to find a way.”
Tsitsipas, who faced Djokovic in the final of the French Open in 2021 and was a beaten finalist in Melbourne last year, humorously suggested that Djokovic remained the significant hurdle for him and other players seeking their maiden Grand Slam titles.
Reflecting on his challenging match against Thompson, Tsitsipas expressed his enjoyment of the intensity and adrenaline, saying, “The adrenaline and the rush that I got out of this match was insane. You live for these kinds of matches.”
Looking ahead to the next round, Tsitsipas acknowledged the unseeded Frenchman Luca van Assche as his opponent. He shared his excitement for the tournament, emphasizing its significance in his tennis journey. “I know that I’m capable of pulling off certain things and having a deep run at the Aussie Open; it’s one of my favourite tournaments,” he remarked.
Tsitsipas highlighted the unique atmosphere of the Australian Open, drawing parallels between the climate and his homeland in Greece. He appreciated the support from the crowd, even in the face of a spirited home favorite like Thompson. “People were shouting from both ends, mine and Jordan’s, and the fact that I can go to sleep knowing that I gave my all tonight makes me extremely happy,” Tsitsipas shared.
As the Greek tennis star continues his journey in the Australian Open, his playful banter with Djokovic adds a touch of camaraderie to the competitive spirit of the tournament. Tennis fans can anticipate more entertaining moments both on and off the court as the action unfolds in Melbourne.
Tsitsipas at the Australian Open, ranking, and results in 2024
Now the world no.7, Tsitsipas achieved a 3-1 win-loss record in 2024. The Greek is participating at the Australian Open where he bested the world no.129 Zizou Bergs 5-7 6-1 6-1 6-3 and the world no.47 Jordan Thompson 4-6 7-66 6-2 7-64.
Stefanos Tsitsipas will square off with the world no.79 Luca Van Assche in the 3rd round. They have never competed against each other as of now in top events.
Stefanos won 11 titles in his career: 1 on hard courts, 4 on clay courts, 5 on indoor courts and 1 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Djokovic at the Australian Open, ranking, and results in 2024
WWWWLWWLWL Now the world no.1, Djokovic has managed to achieve an overall 4-1 record in 2024. Djokovic is currently competing at the Australian Open where he defeated the world no.187 Dino Prizmic 6-2 6-75 6-3 6-4 and the world no.43 Alexei Popyrin 6-3 4-6 7-64 6-3.
Novak Djokovic will come up against the world no.32 Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the 3rd round. Their actual head to head record is 2-0 for Djokovic.
The Serbian won 98 titles in his career: 52 on hard courts, 19 on clay courts, 19 on indoor courts and 8 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
He is also scheduled to play at the Wimbledon (Wimbledon) on the 1st of July and U.S. Open (U.S. Open) on the 26th of August.
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Novak Djokovic squared off 13 times. Their current record is 11-2 for Djokovic. Before, the last time they played each other, Novak Djokovic won 6-3 7-6(4) 7-6(5) in the final in Melbourne (Australian Open) in January 2023.
You can see them in action in the following highlights.
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Novak Djokovic |
| Embed from Getty Images |
