What’s happening in the soccer world? Well, we have someone keeping updates about the sport with a tennis racquet in hand, Stefanos Tsitsipas! After a dramatic yet heartbreaking exit from the US Open, the Greek star is on a short break and enjoying his time away from tennis. The 26-year-old recently attended the Serie A clash between Genoa and Roma, but who did he support?

The soccer madness knows no bounds for anyone, especially in Europe. A lot of tennis players have a keen interest in soccer and here we have another tennis star who has been bound to soccer since childhood. Tsitsipas was out there to support his favorite team Genoa during their clash against Roma in the Italian top division. However, what was supposed to be a fan outing turned out to be a bit more than that for the World No. 12. Tsitsipas had the opportunity to pitch the tennis balls to the crowd as the players warmed up. But apart from that, he also enjoyed the feeling of being a soccer player for a few moments!

In a video shared by tennis journalist, Mario Boccardi, on his X account, Tsitsipas could be seen showcasing his soccer skills by taking a few free kicks. He did it like a pro, making perfect shots, not even missing one chance. The journalist posted the video with the caption, “Stefanos Tsitsipas hitting some free kicks before the Serie A match between Genoa and Roma Not bad at all!”

Tsitsipas not missing the free-kicks could be attributed to the fact that he had soccer training during the early years of his childhood before falling in love with tennis. During his interview after taking his shots, Tsitsipas opened up about his sports journey. He said, “I played football for most of my life until the age of 12. I’ve been around the structure of football from a very young age. Only later in my life did I fall in love with tennis, but I always loved football and might’ve wanted to become a football player, so this environment is very familiar for me.”

But why did the Greek tennis star support Genoa during the match and not Roma? This story also dates back to his childhood days. He said, “When I was young with my brother, we were playing a video game. I had to pick a team and saw Genoa, and thought the logo was amazing.”

Tsitsipas is not the only tennis player to enjoy soccer. Many top players including the likes of Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz are into the sport. Alcaraz supported Spain’s campaign right through the Euro Championship earlier this year where Spain eventually beat England in the final to lift the title.

Stefanos Tsitsipas’ love for soccer falls in the same league as Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal’s love for soccer is also boundless. The 22-time Grand Slam champion’s journey to tennis followed a similar story as Tsitsipas. He played the sport for a little while during his early childhood, but despite being the top goal-scorer for his team, his tennis commitment took precedence over his football schedule. Even though Nadal stopped playing soccer, he never stopped following the sport.

As far as Alcaraz is concerned, he seems to be more into international soccer than club soccer. He talked about it during the Wimbledon championships. Shedding light on his love for soccer, Alcaraz said, “I support them. [The Euros] is every four years, so right now it’s time to support them, as I know they support me when I’m playing matches or I’m playing tournaments. It’s my turn.”

Stefanos Tsitsipas hasn’t been seen attending too many international soccer matches, but he was there to support his favorite club team Genoa against Roma. Although the result might not have gone in Genoa’s favor, Tsitsipas enjoyed his time out there.