Tennis: Sports updates about this exciting racket game - Tsitsipas at French Open: Could "Love" Spell Disaster?
"Love is the key." This was Stefanos Tsitsipas' reason for his unusual extra commitment at the French Open, which warmed Boris Becker's heart.
"I comprehend when you perform actions out of love that you wouldn't ordinarily do," said the tennis legend, grinning at Eurosport. Then he addressed the Greek: "Stefanos, love your girlfriend and your brother more—but please, after the tournament. Focus on the title. That's too much effort."
On Monday, the Greek tennis star at the very least withdrew from the mixed doubles scheduled for the afternoon with his Spanish girlfriend Paula Badosa. But with his brother Peter, he played in the men's doubles to the second round and eliminated the defending champions Ivan Dodig (Croatia) and Austin Krajicek (USA) in two and a half hours, with 4:6, 7:5, 6:3. And that a day before his quarterfinal match against the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz. "Only Tsitsipas would do that," Becker had even said shaking his head before the match: "He's misguided, sorry!"
Brother Peter should now have an Olympic ticket guaranteed.
Why would he even want to take on a triple start was asked Tsitsipas during the tournament. "It's all about love," the 25-year-old answered: "The opportunity to combine love and tennis is truly unique." Specifically in Paris, the City of Love, where the tennis dream couple "Tsitsidosa" had their initial date. His brother may have aided him in securing an Olympic ticket.
Physically, the French Open finalist from 2021 has made a remarkable impression so far. And Tsitsipas would have trained a day before his quarterfinal match against Alcaraz on Tuesday regardless. So why do all this? Not for Becker.
"You've never won a Grand Slam, you're back in top form, you won Monte Carlo, you're now in the quarterfinals against Alcaraz," said the six-time Grand Slam tournament winner. That should be your total focus, with doubles starts, Tsitsipas would only "waste time and energy." Former pro Philipp Kohlschreiber, examining the challenging match against the world number three Alcaraz: "You require every ounce of energy."
Love comeback with Paula Badosa
However, Tsitsipas is an emotional person floating on a cloud of love in Paris. The love comeback with Badosa just before the French Open seems to be propelling him athletically. After a few weeks of break in their relationship, he felt how passionate his love for the Spanish tennis player was, according to Tsitsipas: "It was challenging for us to be apart. I experienced difficult times."
Tsitsipas had a subpar clay season this year, and shortly after his first-round exit on clay in Madrid, he announced the separation from his "soulmate," as he once referred to Badosa. The combination of work and personal life had seemed like "an insurmountable obstacle" to him then. But Tsitsipas seems unable to go without Badosa.
With the 26-year-old by his side, everything feels more manageable. "We discuss tennis a lot," said Tsitsipas: "I have the feeling that we both know each other very well in what we do and have a lot of understanding for how to handle certain situations."
