"Losing the drive that made her attracted";"Nothing wrong in what he said": Fans react to Stefanos Tsitsipas' goals changing since dating Paula Badosa

Stefanos Tsitsipas recently commented on how his tennis goals have changed after he started dating his girlfriend Paula Badosa, which elicited a mixed reaction from tennis fans.

The rumors of a romance between Tsitsipas and Badosa began during the 2023 French Open when Badosa was spotted in the stands during one of Tsitsipas' matches.

Since confirming their relationship shortly after, the duo have publicly and constantly expressed their affection for each other on social media platforms. They have also created a joint Instagram account named Tsitsidosa.

Stefanos Tsitsipas recently spoke with Greek publication Kathimerini. He stated that, while he remains committed to his dreams of winning Grand Slam titles and becoming World No. 1, having Paula Badosa in his life has taught him to appreciate other aspects of life and not pursue his tennis goals blindly

"I certainly think about it [winning Grand Slam titles and becoming the World No. 1] a lot, but the top isn’t everything. I was addicted to this target when I was younger and this deprived me of something," he said.

"This doesn’t mean that I’m not happy with what I have accomplished; I do want to improve as a player. But the key is finding a balance between your private life, building something with someone, and moving ahead in your career, with that person’s help," he added.

In light of this, tennis fans took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their feelings, with some criticizing Stefanos Tsitsipas for his abrupt change and others approving his decision.

One user sarcastically said that the Greek finally realized he wasn't good enough to win a Major, which is why he gave up on his dreams.

"He finally realized he wasn't good enough to win a major and gave up. no shame in that," the user wrote.

Another account posted:

"I guess tennis was just his vehicle to find love, perfect example of why he will never be what the big three are or any career top player for that matter. Sad."

However, some believed that criticizing Stefanos Tsitsipas' comments is inappropriate because he is happy in his relationship with the Spaniard.

"Feels a bit wrong to rip on him for this. He’s found someone he’s happy with. Why does it feel like this relationship gets way more scrutiny than other couples on tour. I recall Monfils - Svitolina back in 2019 when they did their launch. Don’t remember them getting as much flak," one user tweeted.

Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans:

(It should be noted that the reactions from fans are to the translated version posted by another user on Twitter. In the original interview in Greek, Tsitsipas does not make any direct connections between his relationship with Paula Badosa and why he is no longer obsessing about becoming World No. 1 or winning Grand Slams)

How did Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa fare at the US Open 2023?

Stefanos Tsitsipas was eliminated from the second round of the 2023 US Open by Swiss qualifier Dominic Stricker.

The seventh-seeded Tsitsipas, who has never advanced past the third round at Flushing Meadows, lost to his opponent after a four-hour match, with a final score of 7-5, 6-7(2), 6-7(5), 7-6(6), 6-3.

Meanwhile, Paula Badosa withdrew from the New York Slam before her opening-round match against Venus Williams due to a recurring back injury. However, the Spaniard remained in her boyfriend's box during his matches to cheer him up.