Former ATP No. 1 Novak Djokovic offered an interesting statement, carrying both weight and warmth. During the ongoing Davis Cup tournament, the Serb revealed his hope for Stefanos Tsitsipas despite the Greek’s average 2024 run. While Tsitsipas’ decision prevented the fraternity from enjoying his head-to-head rivalry against Djokovic, the Serb remained firm in his opinion. Referring to his thoughts about Tsitsipas’ future, Djokovic delivered a great compliment, leaving everyone with a burning question: Is Tsitsipas’ mental health the reason behind his setbacks?

The 2024 tennis season has been full of ups and downs for Tsitsipas. The Greek ATP star won only one title in Monte Carlo and was a finalist in Barcelona. In other tournaments, Tsitsipas’ performance wasn’t impressive, as he registered a 36-17 win-loss record. His last performance was at the American Slam, where he exited the tournament after losing to Thanasi Kokkinakis in the first round. After that, the Greek ATP star encountered a back injury, withdrawing from the 2024 Davis Cup, where Serbia directly competed against Greece. Despite Tsitsipas’ average form this season, Djokovic had some encouraging words for the player.

When asked to comment on the Greek’s struggles in a press conference, Djokovic mentioned him as a talented player like any other on tour. The Serb believed Tsitsipas needed to find mental balance. “I don’t think that the game wise he’s far behind the top players, I think he possesses a game to really be an established, you know, top five player. And he has proven that in many occasions in the previous years he is one… Again Monte-Carlo this year, which is a 1000 events. It’s just a matter of him figuring out how to find a balance, mentally foremost,” Djokovic said.

Tsitsipas pulled out of the Davis Cup due to a back injury. He shared the news in a Hellenic Tennis Federation statement, explaining that his body was not in a state to compete for the national tennis team. The Greek also wished his team good luck against Serbia. Despite his withdrawal, Tsitsipas aims to represent Team Europe at the upcoming Laver Cup tournament in Berlin. “I’m here to try to show them the way, to help them along the way. Winning the Laver Cup is about passion, consistency, and attitude. I’m proud of the whole journey that led me to the Laver Cup because I felt like I had come a long way to earn my place on this team,” he said.

Stefanos Tsitsipas’ withdrawal from the Davis Cup has disappointed many tennis lovers, but he had no choice given his physical condition. Novak Djokovic, who advised the Greek to find mental balance, still has great hope for the ATP No. 12.

Novak Djokovic finds “a potential quality”  in Stefanos Tsitsipas “to be a Grand Slam winner”

While Tsitsipas has not been in his best form this season, the legendary Novak Djokovic still considers him talented. In the same press conference, he offered an interesting compliment to the Greek, calling him a potential “Grand Slam winner.”  Mentioning the excitement of the Serbian crowd to see Tsitsipas live, Djokovic said, “I think that he possesses a potential quality to be a Grand Slam winner. He played a couple of Grand Slam finals already, actually against me both at times. So yeah, I wish him all the best. It’s a pity that he’s not here. Also Serbian crowd was excited to see Tsitsipas live.”

Novak Djokovic’s compliment for Stefanos Tsitsipas highlights the talent of the Greek. Despite his challenging 2024 run, Djokovic’s statement helped illustrate his potential to win a Slam title. Tsitsipas’ recent split with his father, who worked as his coach, has impacted his mindset, driving his games into a poor state. However, the Greek might need to learn from the Serb’s advice and take action to return to his former form soon. Do you think Tsitsipas can make Djokovic’s prediction come true?