“This is the ultimate” – Tsitsipas moved, honoured to be playing a role in historic day for Federer and Laver Cup
After opening accounts at the 2022 Laver Cup, Stefanos Tsitsipas opens up on his feelings about being a part of Roger Federer’s last dance in London.
Roger Federer (Sui) and Rafael Nadal (Esp) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (Gre) and Novak Djokovic (Ser) || Antoine Couvercelle / Panoramic
As the tennis world prepares for Roger Federer’s last match at Laver Cup, Stefanos Tsitsipas has done his part for Team Europe, staking the team to a 2-0 lead with a victory over Diego Schwartzman on Friday in London.
After he finished up his victory he expressed his gratitude to reporters, saying that he felt blessed just to be on the bench with a team full of legends on a day that will be remembered forever in the history of our sport.
“I have said it that it’s such a privilege to be here for the last dance,” Tsitsipas said. “I have worked hard to be sitting right next to them. I have sacrificed a lot, and I’m super proud that I’m able to share this by their side with Bjorn Borg, having Mr. Rod Laver to be here to watch us perform and play.
“This is the ultimate that you could ever ask. We have so many great champions, literally the biggest gladiators that tennis has ever seen ever. Not even in this era. Ever. For me to be here and be kind of a big part of it is something that will definitely remain unforgettable, a big piece of, let’s say, a big highlight of my life and something that I will definitely be able to recall for many years to come.”
“I have worked hard to be sitting right next to them. I have sacrificed a lot, and I’m super proud that I’m able to share this by their side with Bjorn Borg, having Mr. Rod Laver to be here to watch us perform and play.”
— Stefanos Tsitsipas
“There is so much respect” – Tsitsipas
The sixth-ranked Greek, who owns victories over all four members of the Big Four, says that his respect is off the charts when it come to the quartet of icons.
“Look, as much as I want to obviously tear them apart when I’m on the court against them, there is so much respect between us I think this week than there has ever been before,” he said. “I admire them a lot for their hard work, ethic, for their talent, for their skill that they have provided, and some of them will keep providing and serving our sport.”
Breaking down the Big Four
Tsitsipas went on to talk about each player specifically, making sure that three-time Slam champion Murray got his mention.
“Andy Murray is such an incredible fighter and never gives up,” he said.
“Rafa is incredibly humble,” he said before cracking a joke about Nadal’s ungodly Roland-Garros title count. “Something might have broken in there, because, you know, 26 Roland Garros titles in a row is not humanly normal. I think there needs to be like a filter change, because this is incredible. I’m thinking about it very often. Takes a lot of not just talent but dedication and kind of not understanding of what you have done in order to continue doing that year after year.
“And Roger is Roger, someone who has been doing things so effortlessly. He’s an example — all of them are examples to younger kids.”
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