Stefanos Tsitsipas' story serves as a stark reminder to why tennis success shouldn't be taken for granted

(Getty/Anne-Christine Poujoulat)

Five years is a long time in tennis. If you don't believe so, look no further than to ask Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Throughout the mid-2000s, Greece pinned their hopes on Marcos Baghdatis for Grand Slam glory, having fallen short in the 2006 decider at Melbourne Park.

But Greece were ultimately clutching at straws, because Baghdatis actually represented Cyprus, a country which shares deep colonial history, language and heritage.

So when a then-20-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas burst onto the scene against his idol, Roger Federer, in the fourth round of the Australian Open, winning in four sets on the same court that Baghdatis made a magical run 13 years prior, it was a big deal for Greek tennis.

Because ultimately, Greek tennis finally had one of its own to root for in men's tennis, representing the famous blue-and-white flag.

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The moment Tsitsipas defeated one of the sport's all-time greats in Federer, the pressure only intensified to live up to the hype as one of tennis' next big prospects.

And so he delivered. Well, to an extent.

Had you told any young boy or girl aspiring to become a professional tennis player that they would make two Grand Slam finals and reach a high of world No.3 before the age of 28, it would be tough to contain the excitement.

That's what has been achieved throughout Tsitsipas' career thus far. Yet the feeling is different, because instead of trending upwards in what should be the peak of his career, a jaw-dropping spiral has taken everyone by surprise.

In those two defeats in major finals, both came against the greatest player of all time, Novak Djokovic, in Paris (2021) and Melbourne (2023). The one that hurts the most? That famous five-set epic at Roland Garros, where Tsitsipas couldn't convert a commanding two-set lead.

But as heartbreaking as that day was for the Greek star, there was always the 'guarantee' that he would go on and consistently challenge for major honours. What started as a 'guarantee' has slowly shifted in the opposite direction, as his career now seems more uncertain than ever.

For five years between 2019 and 2024, he didn't drop out of the top 10, proving to be Mr. consistent. At the end of April, he fell to world No.80 after an accumulation of poor results, stemming back to mid-2023, where he has since reached just one Grand Slam quarter-final.

Unreal to think, right?

Tennis can be so rewarding yet so cruel in the same breath. Success is never guaranteed, and it should never be taken for granted. Why? Because you just don't know what's around the corner.

Still a high-profile player who garners plenty of attention, and rightfully so, Tsitsipas has obviously fronted the cameras for hundreds if not thousands of interviews and press conferences. One quote, however, perfectly encapsulates how quickly tennis moves.

"Currently, there is only one big player: Novak Djokovic. He's still the best in the world. But Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev and I come right behind. We can become the next big three," Tsitsipas told Sport Bild back in 2021.

Only one of those three players (Medvedev) can proudly call themselves a Grand Slam champion. Sinner and Alcaraz, who are the current 'big two', have already combined for an astonishing 11 majors at age 24 and 22, respectively.

It inevitably begs the question: Is there no coming back for Tsitsipas?

Greek journalist Nikos Zinas, who has covered Tsitsipas closely for tennisnews.gr, believes that an important perspective must be established.

"First of all, Tsitsipas has been in the top 100 for almost nine years (since October 2017) and was constantly in the top 10 for about five years," he told The First Serve. "Therefore, I wouldn't say that going through a period where he is outside the top 50 constitutes a downfall, nor does it mean he is unable to keep up with the evolution of the sport. It is normal to underperform for a shorter or longer period at this level.

"Don't forget that tennis is such a difficult sport, and in order to constantly stay at the top, many things need to align simultaneously."

Probably the most telling sign that Tsitsipas had realised the challenge he was up against to return to his old devastating self was in January 2025.

"The game was really different from what it is now. It wasn't as physical," Tsitsipas told the press after suffering a first round loss to Alex Michelsen at the Australian Open last year.

"I'm a better player now than I was back then."

Like any sport, injuries are part of the game. Who knows what former Slam winners such as Juan Martín Del Potro and Dominic Thiem could've accomplished if their bodies had held up.

Wimbledon's 2016 Junior Boys' Grand Slam champion has not had that excuse to fall back on... until the last couple of years, when his back flared up at the 2023 ATP Finals.

"Undoubtedly, the back injury he suffered last year significantly hindered him from getting the results he wanted and working as hard as he wished—the repercussions of which we are seeing this season. After all, when you are injured, you cannot work out or train at your limits," Zinas explained.

"What Stefanos needs right now is to find his peace of mind and stay healthy. If he manages to do that, it is entirely up to him to return to the top 10, and why not, even reach No.1. He has already proven that he has the talent to do so."

After trailing 0-2 early against Alexander Müller in his first Roland Garros hours ago at the time of writing, it was all doom and gloom, until a sudden injury to the Frenchman forced him to retire midway through the second set.

Yet you can't help but wonder if the old Tsitsipas will ever crack the top 10 again, let alone get over the hump to lift one of the four coveted majors. At this stage, given the competition ahead, it's extremely unlikely.

Tsitsipas was as close as 10 points away from etching his name into Grand Slam folklore, while Zverev, the current world No.3, was one point shy of achieving the same feat.

If you don't take your opportunities in this crazy sport, then chances are, you'll live to regret it.

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