SAD NEWS: Because of… Stefanos Tsitsipas decided to resign.
Tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has made it to multiple semifinals and finals, characterizes it as a “symbiosis of body, mind, and spirit, all combined in the appropriate place at the appropriate time.” He’s looking for the mysterious element that makes the difference between a great player and a grand slam winner. Tsitsipas has lost to Novak Djokovic twice in major slam finals at the French and Australian Opens, where he has also been to three other semifinals.
In Paris in 2021, he won the first two sets until Djokovic gave it his all on the court. Tsitsipas would have topped the world rankings if he had defeated Djokovic in the Australian Open final the previous year. Instead, he lost in a straight-sets match and lost in two tie-breaks. He then struggled with injuries for the rest of the year, which dropped him to sixth in the rankings.
With a winning understatement, Tsitsipas proclaims, “I have talents and I know how to hit the ball.” We’ve already solved the mystery, as my physique can withstand lengthy matches. To give myself seven consecutive victories [to win a slam], I have to open the next big chapter in my mind. How can I repeatedly overcome world-class athletes? Not just one, but perhaps three or four during a tournament. Once I figure it out, everything will flow naturally.
Tsitsipas nods seriously when I ask him if his beliefs are the same as they were in 2023. He answers, “Yes, without a doubt,” and then beams broadly. “My development was slow.”
It’s a brilliant prank that pops the bubble of expectation that has surrounded Tsitsipas for years, ever since he became the world’s best junior player and led the expected new generation of young superstars predicted to replace Djokovic, Federer, and Rafael Nadal. That mission has now been taken on by Jannik Sinner, 22, the fourth-ranked player in the world, and Carlos Alcaraz, 20, who is still only 20 and placed second to Djokovic.
