Not everything in life goes according to plan! Sometimes it becomes extremely necessary to accept defeat and plan for a better restart. The Greek tennis star, Stefanos Tsitsipas, recently got his dreams shattered by Novak Djokovic by 6-3,7-6(3) in the QF of the Paris Olympics. Tsitsipas was utterly disappointed with his performance on the second set. He felt he could’ve done much better! His dull eyes and faint voice perhaps exactly picturized what went through his mind at that moment after that disappointing loss.

Djokovic’s match against Tsitsipas was a dramatic display of both athleticism and mental fortitude. The Serbian star, fresh off a knee surgery, appeared to be in top form during the opening set, showcasing his trademark agility and power. However, a shift in the second set revealed a different story.

Pain etched on his face, Djokovic struggled with movement, his once fluid steps now hesitant. The once-packed Court Philippe Chatrier fell silent as the crowd’s concern grew palpable. Tsitsipas, sensing an opportunity, seized the moment and served for the set. But in a testament to Djokovic’s unwavering spirit, the Serbian fought back from the brink, saving three set points before ultimately claiming the tiebreak.

Reflecting on his performance against Djokovic, the Greek stated, “It’s disappointing what happened in the second set. To lose it even though I had a double-break lead. This has only happened 2-3 times in my career.” Tsitsipas then went on to praise Djokovic’s resilience, stating, the Serb plays best when his back is against the wall in high-intensity matches. Tsitsipas looked absolutely gutted for handing over the match to his opponent, “He found the small holes to escape when he was in a difficult position.”

The 25-year-old tennis star further went on to elaborate, “I came here to Paris determined to get a big match, to achieve a big qualification. And I felt ready for it. If there’s one thing that makes me bitter and unhappy, it’s the score. I don’t deserve 2-0, it doesn’t show my level. I think the second set belonged to me and I could have won it.” Tsitsipas was in great form this year on the clay court swing. He even won a title in Monte Carlo. Perhaps this made him a bit too optimistic about his chances against the Serb at Stade Roland Garros.

He wanted to give a tough fight to his opponent, who was at one point struggling really badly with a knee injury, but instead of giving a fight, he let the match slip farther away from him. Djokovic was forced to call the physio twice during the second set for a treatment to his right knee. Now, we all know Novak has time and again been accused of “strategically” using medical timeouts to take an advantage over his opponents. What is it a similar psychological tactic or a genuine cause?

We don’t know, but Djokovic really looked a bit concerned after facing discomfort in the same right knee in which he recently underwent surgery. Despite these tiny moments during their latest encounter, Djokovic is indeed a big fan of Tsitsipas’ enormous talent. He has also time and again heaped praise on his incredible mindset.

Djokovic highly rates the Greek tennis star, Tsitsipas

Djokovic once described Tsitsipas as “one of the most interesting” characters in the tennis world. In 2022, when he defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the finals of the Astana Open quite comprehensively, he told him, “You’ve always been humble in victory and gracious and respectful in your defeats.” The Serb strongly believes Tsitsipas has all the potential to become one of the best players in the world. However, this wasn’t the first time that he showered praise praise on Tsitsipas.

In 2020, while playing in Dubai, Novak praised his game and intelligence by stating, “He’s very smart and wise. I told him that after the match, I told him that I love that about him, I love the fact that he is more than just a tennis player and he’s always looking to learn from the experience and to understand something new about himself so he can improve, get better.” 

For Djokovic, these are all traits of a true champion. He highly rates this tennis star to become a great ambassador of the racquet sport. Perhaps his way of not accepting his poor performance and speaking about his mistakes so openly is what makes him quite different from others. A loss is always a bitter pill to swallow for everyone, but making a strong comeback from the losses is what defines a true champion, and Djokovic has already hailed him as a champion.