"I would stay and play on the wall for hours, recreating a Wimbledon or Roland Garros title playing against that wall" - Stefanos Tsitsipas
Stefanos Tsitsipas, who is currently competing at the 2022 ATP Cup, recently reminisced about his early years and how he used to fantasize about playing championship matches at Wimbledon and Roland Garros.
Speaking to the ATP, Stefanos Tsitsipas recalled the days he spent at his first ever tennis club as a child. The Greek revealed that whenever his parents were late to pick him up from coaching, he would pass the time by playing against the wall and imagining that a Major championship was on the line.
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"I remember finishing with practice and my parents would be very late to pick me up, like a couple of hours and I would stay and play on the wall for hours, recreating a Wimbledon or Roland Garros title playing against that wall," Stefanos Tsitsipas said. "Thinking about it now, I have come a long way."
Tsitsipas added that although his practice disturbed the people residing near the tennis club, he always kept at it. The Greek also lauded his first coach, insisting that he was an important figure during his formative years.
"I remember next to the tennis club there were neighbors and it was a residential area and I was creating a lot of noise when playing against the wall and people didn’t like that. But I kept playing," Tsitsipas said.
"When I first started I was very shy and I am also very privileged. I got really lucky with my first coach as he really made me love the sport even more than I did back then and he was really good with kids and I only realize it now." Tsitsipas added.
"I picked up tennis pretty early at the age of six" - Stefanos Tsitsipas
Stefanos Tsitsipas also revealed during the interaction that the club was located in Glyfada, a suburb in South Athens. The Greek then talked briefly about when he first picked up the sport, which courts he grew up playing on and how he had maintained contact with his coaches from his first tennis club.
"Tennis club Glyfada, located about 15 minutes from where I lived. We only had clay courts and I grew up playing on the clay courts there. I picked up tennis pretty early at the age of six," Tsitsipas said.
"I had two coaches that taught me the game I very much love up to this day and I am still in touch with them. All outdoor courts. The weather in Greece is very good and even in winter time we are still able to play outdoors," the Greek said.