Google News Stefanos Tsitsipas reacts to making it past Rafael Nadal on ATP rankings
by | VIEW 297
Greek tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas is happy to be enjoying a new career-high ranking of No. 3 in the world from this Monday. Tsitsipas, 22, overcame Rafael Nadal on this week's updated ATP list. “Being at the ranking that I will be tomorrow, it is a huge motivation and a very good indication that I’ve done great so far,” Tsitsipas said, per the ATP website.
“[I am] just generally blessed that I’ve put in so much work to make it to the top three, which [I would consider] quite a special milestone”. Tsitsipas noted that breaking into the top-10 and into the top-3 are two different feelings.
"That [Top 10 breakthrough] was a great dream of mine being fulfilled. The top three is on its own, something completely different,” Tsitsipas said. “My purpose of doing this is self-improvement and trying to become a better person through tennis, so it matters”.
Tsitsipas determined to keep improving
“I wake up every single day with a goal: to get better. To get better with my tennis, to get better in the sport that I chose to follow in my life,” Tsitsipas said. “I’m very happy I get to play that sport.
I’m very happy that I get to inspire people doing what I do”. Tsitsipas, seeded at No. 3 has a first round bye at the Toronto Masters. “I’m feeling good with my game, really happy to be back to Toronto, one of my favourite places to compete and play tennis,” Tsitsipas said.
“The location is exactly as I remember it. I’m just generally happy to be competing here again”. Two months ago, Tsitsipas was up by two sets against world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the French Open final but still ended up losing.
"At the Roland Garros final against Tsitsipas people from Greece where shouting: Hellas, Hellas. And there were Greek flags everywhere. That was beautiful. However, there were thousands of Greek people, but only hundreds from Serbia with only a dozen of flags who couldn't be heard a lot.
During a changeover I told them: People, Serbians. Feel free to say: "Serbia." That does not hurt. We are Serbians, we are the best. Look at Novak. Is he the best? All of us are Novak in what we do. He should be our role model in everything we do in our lives -- to be Novak, to be the best in the world. Everyone should strive to be Novak in what they do," Srdjan Djokovic said.