After spending two weeks in hotel quarantine, 22-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas had been craving his favourite Greek cuisine.
On Monday, he launched ‘limited-edition Tsitsipas Souvlaki’ at a Melbourne eatery to raise funds for COVID-19 relief, and dug in his teeth in the popular Greek fast food.
However, the world No. 6 says his hunger on the tennis court is for Grand Slams and not the No. 1 ranking.
"It is clichéd, monotonous and boring to say that you want to become number one in the world,” he told SBS Greek.
“There are titles that are more important. There are matches that you can prove that you are a good tennis player.”
The young tennis sensation says that it is quite challenging to win against players who are on higher rankings.
Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece following his win over Russia's Andrey Rublev during a Nitto ATP finals tennis match at the O2 Arena in London, 17.11.2020. Source: AAP Image/EPA/ANDY RAIN
“I have won against tennis players and matches that were some incredible and unforgettable experiences.
“There are a lot of things I haven't done yet, and it will take time,” says Tsitsipas.
In an interview during last year’s Australian Open, he said the time had come for the next generation of tennis players to revolt.
He says he meant that players of his age should start winning ATP titles and Grand Slams.
Tsitsipas - currently at No. 6 in the ATP ranking - is the youngest tennis player in the top 10. Five of the ten best players in the world are between the ages of 22 and 24.
When Tsitsipas felt ‘weak and helpless’
Tsitsipas claims he felt discriminated against when he was competing in Europe during his junior years in the early 2010s.
It was when Greece was on the front page of the world media due to the financial crisis as the country pay back its enormous debt.
Tsitsipas claims that when he played in several European countries, he felt "weak and helpless" because several tournament organizers were "hostile towards everything Greek" – including himself.
On COVID-19
Last year, the Greek Government commissioned some ads featuring Tsitsipas, asking people to stay home to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The tennis star faced a backlash on social media after posting photos with his friends from Dubai while dozens of people were dying every day from COVID-19 in Greece.
He says he was in Dubai to prepare for the tournament and makes no apologies for that.
“I do not care because I know what a person I am, and I have no bad intentions towards anyone. I love everyone,” says Tsitsipas.
'Proud and lucky'
Tsitsipas says he is very proud of the Greeks of Melbourne.
"Many times, they have such a passion and love for their homeland that they make me feel proud and lucky to come from a country with such morals and such a fantastic culture."
“Their Greekness is uncontrollable,” he says and hopes they will make it to this year’s games to cheer for him.
“I want them to shout our names clear and loud,” he says
