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MANILA, Philippines – World No. 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas may be busy making waves in the ATP tour, but the 21-year-old took time to represent his country Greece in the Davis Cup World Group II playoffs in Manila.
Catch him in action at the Philippine Columbian Association (PCA) Plaza Dilao courts in Paco, Manila from March 6 to 7.
1. He is the youngest player in the top 10 of the ATP circuit
Almost a year since he crashed into the ATP top 10, Tsitsipas has maintained his status as one of the best players in the world. (READ: Greek star Tsitsipas ready for the top)
Tsitsipas rose to fame after he pulled off a huge upset over Roger Federer to boot out the defending champion in the 4th round of the 2019 Australian Open.
The Greek star then went on to record wins over the other members of The Big Three as he defeated Rafael Nadal in the Madrid Open semifinals and Novak Djokovic in the Shanghai Masters quarterfinals.
Before making his way to the Philippines, Tsitsipas settled for a runner-up finish to Djokovic in the Dubai Championships, where the Serbian said that the young star has the potential to be world No. 1.
“I don’t know if I would take it as a compliment, but it’s nice having comments like this from the people and from the media, and players as well,” Tsitsipas told the Philippine media.
“It’s just an idea and I do appreciate that people believe in me so much and I’m really far from that yet, but I think with the right attitude and the right mindset on the court, things can happen and I can reach my full potential and get to where I believe I deserve to be.”
Tsitsipas currently holds 5 ATP titles.
2. He faces Philippine bet AJ Lim, who has beaten him before
Does the Philippines stand a chance against a world-class player like Tsitsipas?
After Tsitsipas drew Pinoy AJ Lim in the first singles match on Friday, March 6, it turns out that the duel will be a rematch of sorts as they also faced off 4 years ago in a juniors tournament.
Lim, now 20, recorded a three-set win over the Greek star in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Orange Bowl juniors tournament in Florida.
“It’s not a big deal because the juniors doesn’t mean anything. It’s a different story now,” said Lim.
“He’s No. 6 in the world, one of the best in the world. So going inside the court, my mindset is just to do my best.”
Remembering that Lim beat him before, neither is Tsitsipas going to go easy on the 2019 Southeast Asian Games bronze medalist.
“He’s got a win record over me. I have to take him seriously,” said Tsitsipas during the Davis Cup press conference on Thursday, March 5.
3. His brother Petros is also playing, while his dad is coaching him
Although Tsitsipas admitted he’s a newcomer to the Davis Cup – this being only his second time to represent Greece – his younger brother Petros packs more experience in the tie tournament.
Ranked 1169 in the ATP tour, Petros will suit up for his team in the second singles and the doubles event with Markos Kalovelonis.
He will be pitted against Philippine bet Jeson Patrombon in the singles, while the Greece doubles team will face the powerhouse duo of Francis Casey Alcantara and Ruben Gonzalez.
Tsitsipas’ father is also in town as he serves as one of the Greece national team’s tennis coaches.
4. He loves his Filipino fans
Does the Philippines really have a home edge here? Because Stefanos joked that he hopes some Filipinos will also hold up Greek flags for them.
Since his arrival on Monday, March 2, Filipino tennis fans flocked around him as he accommodated selfies and autograph signings.
Stefanos Tsitsipas accommodating fan signs and photo opportunities after hitting the gym. #DavisCup | @beebeego09 pic.twitter.com/I8RLZ7gczc
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) March 4, 2020
After his first practice in the indoor shell courts of PCA, Stefanos and the team managed to experience the nightlife in Manila.
“People are so humble and it’s really interesting to see the whole nation. It’s inspiring to see people behave this way and just live their daily lives this way. It’s a very cultivating experience,” said Stefanos.
As for his most memorable Filipino food, Stefanos had some “taho” or beancurd with brown sugar syrup and tapioca, which he said reminded him of yogurt and honey. – Rappler.com
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