Stefanos Tsitsipas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Stefanos Tsitsipas

Tsitsipas at the 2022 Monte Carlo Masters
Country (sports)	Greece
Residence	Monte Carlo, Monaco
Born	(1998-08-12) 12 August 1998 (age 26) Athens, Greece
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Turned pro	2016
Plays	Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Coach	Apostolos Tsitsipas (2001–2024) Dimitris Chatzinikolaou (2024–)
Prize money	US$33,083,321  11th all-time in earnings
Singles
Career record	346–167 (67.45%)
Career titles	11
Highest ranking	No. 3 (9 August 2021)
Current ranking	No. 12 (13 January 2025)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	F (2023)
French Open	F (2021)
Wimbledon	4R (2018, 2023)
US Open	3R (2020, 2021)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	W (2019)
Olympic Games	QF (2024)
Doubles
Career record	44–73 (37.61%)
Career titles	2
Highest ranking	No. 64 (29 August 2022)
Current ranking	No. 162 (6 January 2025)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	2R (2023)
French Open	QF (2024)
Wimbledon	1R (2018, 2021, 2023, 2024)
US Open	2R (2018, 2023)
Other doubles tournaments
Olympic Games	1R (2024)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
French Open	1R (2024)
US Open	1R (2024)
Other mixed doubles tournaments
Olympic Games	QF (2020)
Team competitions
Davis Cup	WGI (2023)
Hopman Cup	RR (2019)

Stefanos Tsitsipas (born August 12, 1998) is a professional tennis player from Greece. He has been ranked as high as world No. 3 by the ATP. He first reached this high ranking on August 9, 2021. This made him the highest-ranked Greek tennis player ever, a record he shares with Maria Sakkari.

Stefanos has won eleven singles titles on the ATP Tour. These include the ATP Finals in 2019 and three big Masters 1000 tournaments. He has also played in two major finals at Grand Slam events. These were the French Open in 2021 and the Australian Open in 2023.

Stefanos comes from a tennis-loving family. His mother, Julia Apostoli, was a professional player. His father, Apostolos Tsitsipas, became a tennis coach. Stefanos started playing tennis at age three and began lessons at age six. As a junior player, he was ranked No. 1 in the world. He also won the boys' doubles title at Wimbledon in 2016.

He won his first match on the ATP Tour in late 2017. The next year, he quickly moved up the ATP rankings. He won his first title at the Stockholm Open in 2018. He also reached the final at the Canadian Open. There, he became the youngest player to beat four top-ten opponents in one tournament. Since then, Stefanos has almost always been in the top 10 of the ATP rankings. He won his first Masters 1000 event at the Monte-Carlo Masters in 2021. He successfully defended his title in 2022 and won it again in 2024. Stefanos was named the Greek Male Athlete of the Year in 2019.

Stefanos's Early Life & Family

Stefanos Tsitsipas was born on August 12, 1998, in Athens, Greece. His father, Apostolos Tsitsipas, is Greek. His mother, Julia Apostoli, is Russian. Stefanos's grandfather, Sergei Salnikov, was a famous Soviet football player.

Both of Stefanos's parents were skilled tennis players. His mother was even a world No. 1 junior player. She also played professionally and represented the Soviet Union in the Federation Cup. His parents met at a tennis tournament in Athens.

Stefanos has three younger siblings: Petros, Pavlos, and Elisavet. All of them also play tennis.

How Stefanos Started Tennis

Because his parents loved tennis, Stefanos started playing very young. He remembers hitting balls with his father when he was just three years old. He also watched tennis matches on TV as a baby.

Stefanos tried other sports like football and swimming when he was a kid. But he decided he wanted to be a tennis player. When he was nine, he told his father, "Dad, I want to become a tennis player. I like the competition, I like the challenge."

He began taking lessons at Tennis Club Glyfada in Greece when he was six. He still trains there today. His father has always been his main coach. In 2015, Stefanos also started training at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in France.

Junior Tennis Career

Tsitsipas at the 2015 US Open

Stefanos Tsitsipas was once the world's No. 1 junior tennis player. He started playing on the ITF Junior Circuit when he was 14 in 2013.

In 2015, he played in his first junior Grand Slam tournaments. His best result was reaching the quarterfinals at the Australian Open. He ended that year as the No. 14 junior player in the world.

Winning Junior Titles

The year 2016 was a big one for Stefanos. He reached at least the quarterfinals in all eight tournaments he played, including all four Grand Slams. He became the top-ranked junior in the world after winning a major title at the Trofeo Bonfiglio. He also won the European Junior Championships.

His biggest win as a junior came in doubles at Wimbledon. He teamed up with Kenneth Raisma to win the title. This made him the first Greek male player to win a junior Grand Slam in the Open Era. He also reached the semifinals in singles at both Wimbledon and the US Open that year. He finished 2016 as the No. 2 junior player in the world.

Professional Tennis Journey

2013–2017: Breaking into the Top 100

Tsitsipas with the runner-up trophy at the 2017 Brest Challenger

Stefanos started playing professional tournaments called ITF Futures events in Greece when he was 15. By the end of 2016, he had won five singles titles and six doubles titles at these events.

In 2016, he reached his first two finals on the ATP Challenger Tour in Morocco. This helped him enter the top 200 rankings. Later that year, he played in his first ATP Tour event, the Swiss Indoors in Basel.

In 2017, Stefanos made his Grand Slam debut at the French Open. He also won his first Challenger title in Genova. Towards the end of 2017, he reached his first ATP semifinal at the European Open in Belgium. During this tournament, he beat world No. 10 David Goffin. This was his first win against a top-ten player.

With this success, Stefanos became the first Greek player to be ranked in the top 100. He was only 19 years old.

2018: First ATP Title & Next Gen Champion

Tsitsipas at the 2018 Washington Open

Stefanos had a great year in 2018. At the Barcelona Open, he reached his first ATP final without losing a single set. He beat three top-20 players before losing to world No. 1 Rafael Nadal. This result moved him into the top 50 rankings.

At Wimbledon, he reached the fourth round. This was his best Grand Slam result at the time.

His biggest breakthrough came at the Canadian Open. He reached his first Masters final there. He became the youngest player to beat four top-ten players in one event. He defeated Dominic Thiem, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, and Kevin Anderson. He lost to Nadal in the final.

Later in 2018, Stefanos won his first ATP title at the Stockholm Open. He became the first Greek player to win an ATP title. He then won the Next Gen ATP Finals, an event for young top players. At the end of the year, he was named the ATP Most Improved Player.

2019: Winning the ATP Finals

Tsitsipas at the 2019 Sydney International

Stefanos started 2019 strong at the Australian Open. He reached his first major semifinal. He famously beat world No. 3 and defending champion Roger Federer in the fourth round. This performance helped him reach a career-best ranking of No. 12.

He continued his success by winning his second title at the Open 13 in Marseille. He also reached the final at the Dubai Tennis Championships, which put him in the top 10 for the first time.

Stefanos also had a great clay court season. He won his first clay court title at the Estoril Open. The next week, he reached another Masters final at the Madrid Open. He beat Alexander Zverev and Rafael Nadal there, which was his first win against Nadal.

The highlight of his year was winning the ATP Finals. This is a big tournament for the top eight players of the year. He beat Roger Federer in the semifinals and Dominic Thiem in the final. He became the youngest winner of this event since 2001. He finished the season ranked No. 6 in the world.

2020: French Open Semifinalist

At the 2020 Australian Open, Stefanos lost in the third round. He then successfully defended his title at the Open 13 tournament, winning his fifth ATP title.

At the US Open, he reached the third round. He then had a strong run at the French Open. He reached the semifinal, where he lost a tough five-set match to Novak Djokovic.

2021: Reaching a Grand Slam Final & World No. 3

Tsitsipas at the 2021 French Open

Stefanos started 2021 well at the Australian Open. He reached the semifinals, beating Rafael Nadal after being two sets down. This was a rare achievement. He then lost to Daniil Medvedev.

In April, Stefanos won his first Masters 1000 title at the Monte-Carlo Masters. This made him the first Greek player to win a Masters title. In May, he won his seventh career title at the Lyon Open.

At the French Open, Stefanos reached his first major final. He beat Alexander Zverev in a five-set semifinal. This made him the first Greek player to reach a Grand Slam final. He achieved a career-high ranking of World No. 4. In the final, he lost to world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in five sets, even though he was leading by two sets.

He had some early losses at Wimbledon and the US Open. He later had to withdraw from the ATP Finals due to an elbow injury.

2022: Defending Monte Carlo & First Grass Title

Stefanos Tsitsipas at the 2022 Western and Southern Tournament.

At the 2022 Australian Open, Stefanos reached the semifinals again. He lost to Daniil Medvedev.

He successfully defended his Monte-Carlo Masters title. This was his second ATP Masters 1000 title. He also reached the final of the Italian Open, but lost to Novak Djokovic.

Stefanos won his first title on grass courts at the Mallorca Open. At Wimbledon, he lost in a fiery match to Nick Kyrgios. He reached another Masters final at the Cincinnati Open, but lost to Borna Ćorić.

He reached the final of the Astana Open and the Stockholm Open, but lost both. He finished the year by winning the 2022 Mubadala World Tennis Championship, an exhibition tournament.

2023: Australian Open Finalist & 300th Win

Tsitsipas at the 2023 Monte-Carlo Masters

Stefanos recorded his 250th career win at the 2023 United Cup. At the 2023 Australian Open, he reached his second Grand Slam final. He played against Novak Djokovic again, but lost. If he had won, he would have become world No. 1 for the first time.

He reached the final of the Barcelona Open for the third time, losing to Carlos Alcaraz. In August, he won his tenth title at the 2023 Los Cabos Open.

In November, he recorded his 50th win of the season. He also achieved his 300th career win at the Paris Masters. He became the first male player born in 1998 or later to reach 300 career wins. He qualified for his fifth straight ATP Finals.

2024: Third Monte Carlo Title & Olympics

Stefanos started his clay-court season strong at the 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters. He won his third Monte Carlo Masters title, beating Casper Ruud in the final. He then reached the final of the Barcelona Open for the fourth time, but again lost to Casper Ruud.

At the Paris Olympics, he made history by becoming the first Greek player to reach the quarterfinals since tennis returned to the Games in 1988. He lost to Novak Djokovic.

In August 2024, Stefanos announced that his father would no longer be his main coach.

How Stefanos Plays Tennis

Tsitsipas serving

Stefanos Tsitsipas is an aggressive player who hits powerful shots from the back of the court. He can also play an all-court game, meaning he can play well from anywhere on the court. He has a very strong forehand shot. He uses a lot of topspin to make opponents move off the court, which helps him hit winners. He also comes to the net more often than many players.

One of his special shots is his one-handed backhand. This is rare in modern tennis. He chose to use a one-handed backhand because his parents and his idol, Roger Federer, both used it. His favorite backhand shot is hitting it down the line.

Stefanos is known for his all-court game. His favorite surface to play on is grass, and Wimbledon is his favorite tournament. However, he plays especially well on clay courts because he grew up playing on them in Greece. He has won all three of his Masters titles on clay at the Monte-Carlo Masters. He also does well on hard courts, reaching several finals and semifinals.

Tennis experts like Greg Rusedski and Annabel Croft have praised Stefanos's calm and focused attitude on the court. Rusedski said Stefanos reminds him of tennis legends like Björn Borg and Roger Federer because of his calm nature. He also noted Stefanos's competitive spirit, similar to Andy Murray.

Tennis Rivalries

Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Daniil Medvedev

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev have played each other 13 times. Medvedev has won 9 of these matches, while Tsitsipas has won 4. They are considered two of the best tennis players of their generation.

Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Alexander Zverev

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev have played 16 times. Tsitsipas leads this rivalry with 10 wins to Zverev's 6. They are also seen as top players of their generation. Their most memorable match was a five-set semifinal at the 2021 French Open, which Tsitsipas won.

Stefanos's Life Off the Court

Tsitsipas training with his father at the 2019 Laver Cup

Stefanos went to an English-speaking school when he was young. He can speak English, Greek, and Russian. He supports the Greek football club AEK Athens.

One of Stefanos's hobbies is vlogging. He has his own YouTube channel where he shares videos of his travels. He was in a relationship with fellow tennis player Paula Badosa from May 2023 to May 2024, and they got back together three weeks later.

Stefanos's mother's twin sister, who was also a professional tennis player, helped him financially. This allowed his father to travel with him when he was a junior player. His grandfather, Sergei Salnikov, was an Olympic gold medalist in football.

A Near-Drowning Experience

During a tournament in Crete, Stefanos almost drowned while swimming in the sea. A strong current pulled him away from the shore. His father saw what was happening and helped save him. Stefanos says this experience made him feel "absolutely zero fear on the court." He believes it gave him a new perspective on life.

Stefanos is a Greek Orthodox Christian.

He wants to make tennis more popular in Greece. After reaching the final of the 2018 Barcelona Open, he noticed that his success was helping. He said, "Many people were talking about [the final]... It got people's attention... I hope to inspire more people to play tennis in Greece."

Career Statistics

Grand Slam Tournament Singles Performance

Stefanos has played in many Grand Slam tournaments. Here's how he has done:

Grand Slam Finals

Singles: 2 (2 Runner-up)

Stefanos has reached two Grand Slam singles finals:

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	2021	French Open	Clay	Novak Djokovic	7–6(8–6), 6–2, 3–6, 2–6, 4–6
Loss	2023	Australian Open	Hard	Novak Djokovic	3–6, 6–7(4–7), 6–7(5–7)

Year-End Championship Finals

Singles: 1 (1 Title)

Stefanos won the ATP Finals once:

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	2019	ATP Finals, London	Hard (i)	Dominic Thiem	6–7(6–8), 6–2, 7–6(7–4)

ATP Masters 1000 Finals

Singles: 7 (3 Titles, 4 Runner-up)

Stefanos has played in seven Masters 1000 finals, winning three:

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	2018	Canadian Open	Hard	Rafael Nadal	2–6, 6–7(4–7)
Loss	2019	Madrid Open	Clay	Novak Djokovic	3–6, 4–6
Win	2021	Monte-Carlo Masters	Clay	Andrey Rublev	6–3, 6–3
Win	2022	Monte-Carlo Masters (2)	Clay	Alejandro Davidovich Fokina	6–3, 7–6(7–3)
Loss	2022	Italian Open	Clay	Novak Djokovic	0–6, 6–7(5–7)
Loss	2022	Cincinnati Open	Hard	Borna Ćorić	6–7(0–7), 2–6
Win	2024	Monte-Carlo Masters (3)	Clay	Casper Ruud	6–1, 6–4

Doubles: 1 (1 Runner-up)

Stefanos has reached one Masters 1000 doubles final:

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Loss	2019	Miami Open	Hard	Wesley Koolhof	Bob Bryan Mike Bryan	5–7, 6–7(8–10)

Records

Open Era Records

Stefanos holds some special records in tennis:

See also

In Spanish: Stéfanos Tsitsipás para niños