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Stefanos Tsitsipas savours ATP Finals triumph after near-death experience with Grand Slam glory in sight
It was more than an hour and a half after Stefanos Tsitsipas picked up the trophy, and he hadn't stopped grinning. Even if he would rather be celebrating with his family and friends, it seemed he was more than happy to share the experience he'd just had.
"I don't know how to explain it," he beamed. "I honestly don't feel anything, because it's too many emotions to feel something. So it's horrific, in a way, to be holding this trophy."
Sometimes that feels like the generic answer in these situations but from Tsitsipas' point of view, it made perfect sense. Making his debut at the ATP Finals, the Greek had won his opening two matches and on Friday, lost out to Rafael Nadal in a three-hour marathon having already qualified. On Saturday, he beat the great Roger Federer in straight sets. And on Sunday evening, less than 24 hours later, he was up against Dominic Thiem to decide who would be crowned the ATP Finals champion.
The pair had fought tooth and nail in the first-set tiebreak, with Thiem using his huge forehand to deliver winner after winner to clinch it. But like an Athenian warrior, Tsitsipas threw on his armour and went to battle. After moving double break up inside the first quarter of an hour, and securing the second set within 29 minutes, he forced a decider.
What started out as a few sporadic chants from some loyal followers soon turned into a wall of noise with "Tsit-si-pas! Tsit-si-pas!" echoing around the arena. It just kept coming after every single point and the chants were only getting louder and louder - deafening almost - and with it, the tension increased inside the O2. It was almost impossible for Thiem not to be intimidated by it and as his performance levels started falling, the errors began to pile up.
Match point. This was it, this was the moment. The crowd were readying themselves in anticipation. After two hours and 40 minutes, Tsitsipas was finally in a position to write his name in the history books. Within a matter of seconds, it was done.
The crowd erupted, Tsitsipas collapsed in a heap on the floor, trying to embrace what he had achieved, and his opponent bowed his head in his hands. At the tender age of 21, the Greek sensation had won the ATP Finals, becoming the youngest player to do so since Lleyton Hewitt in 2001 and the youngest tournament debutant to triumph in 26 years.
"I remember myself watching this event on TV and thinking, 'oh, these guys have done an insane year to be playing here'," he said. "And now I'm in the position to be champion, so it feels awesome."
Tsitsipas is a popular character on the tour and it doesn't require much digging to understand why. His carefree demeanour is infectious and the way he lets his shaggy hair run free, how he cracks jokes and doesn't try to hide his youthful exuberance: it's all part of his admirable appreciation of life. But there's a reason behind that, as Tsitsipas revealed earlier this year.
Three years ago, Tsitsipas was competing in a Futures tournament when he decided to visit the beach on a day off. He and a friend swam out in tough conditions and soon found themselves too far away from the shore.
“We were trying to swim back to the beach but it was completely impossible to make it," he recalled in a video on his YouTube channel. "The more I was trying, the less chance I had to make it.
"I remember surrendering. I remember the flashback when time froze. Nothing moved. I couldn’t feel anything. There was a sudden flashback of my entire life. I remember drowning. I remember that feeling of dying. For a second I thought I was dead already.”
Tsitsipas was struggling to stay afloat until his father and coach, Apostolos, swam out to save him and his friend. It's still something that haunts him to this very day and, when reminded of the incident in his conference, he spoke of his gratitude that his life was spared.
"I was very close to losing my life that day, but it did have a positive outcome in my life," he said.
"I'm grateful to any God up there that saved me, that gave me the opportunity to live and be in the place I am right now, winning titles, being one of the best players in the world, representing my country in tennis at the highest level. It kind of wakes you up when you have experiences like this."
It goes some way to explaining why Tsitsipas is so difficult to beat on the court. His determination and grit are unrivalled. Even going up against Thiem, one of his closest friends on the tour, his desire to blow him away was evident. This ability to show such ruthlessness is often seen in the make-up of champions - and there's no doubt Tsitsipas fits the description.
Of course, margins in tennis are so tight to the extent that a match can be won and lost in the space of two points, or even a call from a line judge. As Dominic Thiem would discover, it can easily go against you.
Indeed, if Thiem did emerge as the winner, there would have been few people denying he was worthy. Tsitsipas had needed the final-set tiebreak to clinch his victory and the margin was, of course, only two points. But Thiem, somewhat gracious in defeat, admitted Tsitsipas deserved his success.
"He played great today," he said in his post-match press conference. "He played great throughout the whole tournament. He's the champion, and he deserves it 100 per cent.
"I think also that he's great for tennis because he has a very attractive game style and a one-handed backhand that comes in a lot. Very beautiful technique, as well. It's great that he's up on the top. It's great that he's going to fight for the big titles in the future. I'm 100 per cent sure of that.
"I'm also very sure of the fact that I can challenge him in every single match we're going to play. As I said on the court and in Beijing, I really hope that we're going to have a lot of big matches coming, the two of us. And of course, also me and then the other young guys in the next years."
Having wrapped up his first ATP Finals title, the fourth title of his short career to date, Tsitsipas already has his sights of becoming the first player other than Nadal, Federer or Djokovic to win a Grand Slam since Stan Wawrinka triumphed at the 2016 US Open.
"I believe all Grand Slams are great," he explained. "They all have something unique in them. So for sure Wimbledon is a tournament that has a lot of traditions, and I think most of the players, if you ask, want to win Wimbledon. But for me, any Grand Slam would be great.
"I feel like my game is getting better over time, and I believe I'm really close on being crowned a Grand Slam champion. I know these are strong words that I say, but I do feel like I belong to be there. I'm competing against the best players in the world and the amount of effort and the amount of work I put every day deserves to have an outcome like this."
His epic final against Thiem provided a preview into what tennis fans might be able to expect in the coming years. Having reached two French Open finals already, Thiem, 26, is hoping to be in the mix along with Tsitsipas and 22-year-old Alexander Zverev, who won the ATP Finals title last year.
"I think that for sure we can do it next year," the Austrian said. "We are all playing great tennis. Sascha [Zverev], Stefanos, me, some other guys. I think, or I also said before already, I'm pretty sure that we're going to see a new and young Grand Slam champion next year."
There's no reason to suggest they can't do it. Twice in 2019, Tsitsipas defeated Federer, while Thiem stunned Djokovic in the group stage. Daniil Medvedev and Matteo Berrettini both broke new ground at the US Open earlier this year, suggesting the 'next generation' are finally ready to challenge the 'big three'.
It may be a gradual movement, but the new kids on the block are plotting their takeover of tennis - and Tsitsipas is right at the centre of it.
