Stefanos Tsitsipas compares his influence to Manny Pacquiao

Stefanos Tsitsipas has conquered five ATP titles (including the 2019 year-end Masters edition, in his first participation), the only Greek player to have achieved this results in the Open era, reaching eleven finals. In 2018 he also won the Next Generation ATP Finals. He is the youngest player to have beaten four top ten consecutively in the same tournament since 1990, the year of the establishment of the ATP Tour.

Former British No. 1 players Greg Rusedski and Annabel Croft have both praised Tsitsipas's on-court demeanor in conjunction with his style of play. Rusedski in particular has said that "[Tsitsipas] reminds me a little bit of Björn Borg. He does all the right things, he is spectacular as a tennis player and was just sensational with the way he was so calm and composed and he didn't blink when it came to the crunch. He has the competitive nature of Andy Murray, but he also has a calmness which reminds me of Roger Federer."

Speaking to Filipino magazine Tiebreakertimes, Tsitsipas revealed that his rise has seen increased popularity for the sport in Greece: "Tennis is becoming more of a popular sport in Greece. With my success and the success of Maria Sakkari — we both have helped a lot. People are becoming more aware of what is happening with our careers, and they follow. They watch and stay up late for our matches.”

He also compared his influence to Manny Pacquiao: “So I would probably say it stands in Top five right now, and there are many kids in schools and playing tennis after school. So, the tennis clubs are quite full of kids wanting to become Tsitsipas or Sakkari; and my success, I think, is in every country with great athletes or scoring athletes, like you have guys have a basketball team and Manny Pacquiao. I think people will get inspired and want to do the same. That’s the same case in Greece.”

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2U0PNFD