'Roger Federer has done incredible things, he is my idol,' says Stefanos Tsitsipas

It is always a dream for every upcoming youngster to compete alongside some of the legendary players, especially when those top-ranked stars don't play the doubles that often. The former ATP Finals champion Stefanos Tsitsipas described his experience from the 2019 Laver Cup in Geneva as "every millennial's dream," having a chance to share the same side of the court with Roger Federer against Jack Sock and John Isner. The Americans prevailed 5-7, 6-4, 10-8 in an hour and 46 minutes, sending Team World 8-7 in front after the first encounter of the competition's final day. Instead of Rafael Nadal, who withdrew with a wrist injury, Tsitsipas stepped in to play with Roger Federer for the first time, doing their best to beat the American pair but just falling short in the deciding match tie break.

Stefanos Tsitsipas praised his childhood idol Roger Federer. 

In his recent interview, Tsitsipas praised the 20-time Major champion and everything he has accomplished in tennis, calling him an idol while he was growing up. Roger and Stefanos played four matches in 2019, with the youngster dethroning the Swiss at the Australian Open in four tight sets. Federer bounced back in Dubai and Basel before Tsitsipas leveled the overall score at 2-2 thanks to a 6-3, 6-4 triumph at the ATP Finals. Roger and Stefanos will have to wait at least until the clay season to embrace their fifth match, with Tsitsipas skipping Doha and Dubai and Federer withdrawing from the season's first Masters 1000 event in Miami. 

"Federer has done incredible things in tennis. Not that Djokovic hasn't done it, but for me, Federer has always been an idol I grew up with. The things Djokovic has accomplished in the last seven or eight years are unthinkable. It has raised its level so much; every year, it seems to get better. All I can say is a big thumbs up. I think the new generation could do something similar in the future. I do not think anyone 15 years ago expected Federer to surpass the Sampras record. It is difficult to predict what will happen. We as a new generation have many players capable of achieving big things," Stefanos Tsitsipas said.

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