Stefanos Tsitsipas believes he will one day become world number 1, but he feels no rush to do so.
The 24-year-old tennis player has the opportunity to end the 2022 season as world number 1 at the ATP Finals, Turin this week. But these hopes ran aground after Serbian national tennis player, Novak Djokovic defeated him in straight sets in the opening match of the Red Group.
The Greek tennis player, who is currently ranked 3rd in the world, must win the ATP Finals title without losing a match if she wants to be ranked 1st in the world.
“If I play well this week, win all my matches, of course I deserve to be world number 1. It shows a good performance, shows consistency,” said Stefanos Tsitsipas.
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“But that didn’t really occupy my head. I am delighted that I have the opportunity to do something this season that can give me historic achievements and personal records.”
The 2022 Monte Carlo Open champion first broke into the top 10 in March 2019 and has remained there to date. He has won nine titles with the most prestigious of the nine titles being the ATP Finals title he won in the 2019 season. He has become the highest ranked Greek tennis player in history.
“I really believe that I can reach that rank one day. I’m not really in a rush, to be honest,” Tsitsipas continued.
“Of course, it would be better if it happened this week. I’m here to go through a marathon ride. I see the bigger picture, the longer journey. I’m getting a lot of opportunities next season to play some good games. If the opportunity comes, I will be very happy, my country will be very happy, and my family too.”
“I shouldn’t be so obsessed with it. I can be happy without it, but surely I will feel more fulfilled if it happens in my career.”
Tsitsipas’s current focus is trying to seal a place in the semifinals of the ATP Finals. Even if he lost to Djokovic, he still has a chance, depending on the results of the group stage matches against Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev.
