Stefanos Tsitsipas has had a nightmare start to his 2025 season. He crashed out of the Australian Open in the first round after a shocking defeat (7-5, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4) to American Alex Michelsen. Having come with high hopes to Melbourne, he found himself on the wrong side of upset, making it one of his worst Grand Slam performances. Instead of dwelling on disappointment, Tsitsipas stayed in Australia to cheer for girlfriend Paula Badosa, who became one of the biggest stories of the tournament with her remarkable run. Seeing her making a comeback after the injury and performing well on court has motivated Tsitsipas. But can it bring back his hunger for competition?

The former Roland Garros and Australian Open finalist has seen his fair share of ups and downs over the past year. He won his last title at the Monte-Carlo Masters in April 2024. Since then, positive results from him have seemed to have disappeared. His failure to qualify for the ATP finals for the first time since 2018 was a tough pill to swallow. He has also pulled out of representing Greece in the upcoming Davis Cup. However, the Greek tennis star has been optimistic about his future recently, especially, when he is about to return to the court at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam after getting a wild card entry at the tournament.

Despite the struggles, Tsitsipas is adamant that progress is being made behind the scenes. He has drawn strong motivation from Badosa’s recent run and is determined to channel the same energy into his own game. While speaking to ATPTour.com, Tsitsipas expressed confidence in his preparation, stating, “I’ve had so much practice and played so many sets during the Australian Open period in training.” His 45-22 win-loss record in 2024 might not have been up to his standards, but he is prepared to turn it around.

“I have had a good time off and I am really prepared now. I feel I’m fresh. I’m happy to be very fit because I’ve worked a lot on fitness in recent months. Tennis-wise, I’m there. I just need to now deliver,” he said. Stefanos Tsitsipas’ return to action won’t be easy. He will get strong competition at ABN AMRO Open from top seed Carlos Alcaraz, defending champion Daniil Medvedev, World N0. 8 Alex De Minaur, Andrey Rublev, Holger Rune, and Dutch favorite Tallon Griekspoor. The tournament will be held in Rotterdam Ahoy, from February 3 to 9. It will be a stern test for Tsitsipas as he will face French qualifier Harold Mayot in his opening match. This will be his first competitive appearance since the Australian Open exit.

The road to redemption for Tsitsipas begins now. The past year may not have been ideal for him, but with renewed motivation, he is ready for the battles that will come his way this season. His girlfriend Paula Badosa has been an inspiration for him and Rotterdam will be the perfect stage to prove that he is well prepared.

Stefanos Tsitsipas makes an honest admission about Paula Badosa

Stefanos Tsitsipas opened up about his girlfriend Paula Badosa’s successful run at the Australian Open where she made her maiden Grand Slam semifinal. After battling a lower back injury for over a year, Badosa made a big comeback as she took down top opponents like Marta Kostyuk, rising star Olga Danilovic, and third seed Coco Gauff en route to the semifinals. In the interview with ATP Tour, Tsitsipas admitted that he was strict with Badosa during her dream run, and wanted to bring it the best in her.

“I was being strict with her as I didn’t want to be too soft,” Tsitsipas explained. “Because in this sort of circumstance, she’s learned to play her own way. But I feel there’s so much potential in her that she can extract from her game and use that to spread even more of her tennis identity better inside the court,” he said. The 26-year-old believed that pushing Badosa out of her comfort zone would help unlock her best self.

Paula Badosa’s dominance was on full display during the tournament, particularly when she demolished home favorite Talia Gibson in just 48 minutes to qualify for the third round. Following the match, she turned up to the crowd and urged them to applaud Tsitsipas, recognizing his influence and support. Badosa’s next on-court appearance will be in the Abu Dhabi Open, where she is the No.2 seed at the WTA 500 event. She will kick off her campaign in the second round.

Tsitsipas’ candid admission highlights the supportive yet competitive dynamic between him and Badosa. While his own campaign ended in disappointment, he remains motivated by Badosa’s resurgence and is eager to find his form back again.