"The kids in class cannot be called friends, they treated him very badly" - Stefanos Tsitsipas' mother recalls rough period, how tennis helped Greek
Stefanos Tsitsipas has made a name for himself on the tennis circuit, having reached multiple Slam finals, breaking into the top five, and taking home several Tour-level trophies. However, if his mother Julia Apostoli’s words are anything to go by, tennis is much more than just a sport for him.
Speaking to Greek newspaper Proto Thema in a recent interview, Apostoli reflected on how tennis helped her son overcome multiple hurdles and obstacles.
Recalling Tsitsipas being a “very quiet” and “very shy” child, she said he would miss out on school a lot as he spent time away training for tennis. The kids that he went to school with, she added, could not be described as his friends as they treated Tsitsipas poorly.
"He was a very quiet child and very shy. Because of sports, he missed classes and the children he had in the class, cannot be called friends, because they treated him very badly," Stefanos Tsitsipas' mother said.
Elaborating, Apostoli said a few kids in class even beat up Tsitsipas. She, however, was quick to add that such adversities only made her son stronger and tennis gave him something to look forward to.
"There were two or three kids in his class who sometimes beat him quite a bit. It was not easy for Stefanos then, but he overcame it because he had tennis and his mind was there to go forward. And that helped him a lot," she added.
Stefanos Tsitsipas' mother recalls Greek playing football before tennis
While nowadays Stefanos Tsitsipas is not often away from the sport, tennis wasn’t always his first-choice.
Tsitsipas’ mother Julia Apostoli revealed that he had also picked up football during his childhood but ditched it to play tennis full-time.
"He was here from the age of three, he also played football, but in the end he decided on tennis and I think it was the right decision. Stefanos also went to primary school here," Stefanos Tsitsipas' mother said.
Tsitsipas last played at the US Open, losing out in the opening round to Thanasi Kokkinakis. The 26-year-old, who had also made early exits from the events in Cincinnati and Canada has not played any Tour-level matches since the north American swing.
His recent results have seen him drop out of the top 10 in the ATP rankings. He is currently ranked at No. 12 and placed at the same spot in the Race to the ATP Finals ladder.