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Stefanos Tsitsipas recently claimed that going purely by numbers, Novak Djokovic is the greatest tennis player of all time. Tsitsipas also suggested that Djokovic is as successful as he is because of his insatiable hunger to prove a point to the world.
The Serb recently became the first player, male or female, to win 24 Grand Slams in the Open Era. He achieved the feat by beating Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final. With that win, Djokovic also took back the World No. 1 spot from Carlos Alcaraz; he is now in his 391st week at the top of the ATP rankings, the most in history.
Speaking to Greek publication Kathimerini in a recent interview, World No. 5 Tsitsipas expressed awe at how Djokovic keeps breaking records one after the other while still having the thirst to keep going for more. Tsitsipas opined that the 36-year-old often looks like he's out for revenge, with his eyes taking on a strange gleam as if he's trying to prove something to someone.
"If we go by the numbers, Novak Djokovic is definitely the best. He breaks one record after another. And he keeps the thirst, while he has nothing left to prove, I mention," Stefanos Tsitsipas said.
"That's his character. He's never happy. It's like he's always trying to prove something to someone. I don't know what and to whom. It's like he wants revenge. His eye shines," he added.
Tsitsipas also said, however, that Roger Federer should still be considered as the one who has had the biggest impact on the tennis world. He believes that no one can match the Swiss maestro in that aspect.
"(If the criteria is) who has inspired the world the most and who has had the biggest impact, it's definitely Federer, by a wide margin. I don't think there will be anyone else who can match him," Stefanos Tsitsipas said.
"This partnership has ended, and now my father is taking over again" - Stefanos Tsitsipas on split with Mark Philippoussis
Stefanos Tsitsipas also addressed his recent split with Mark Philippossis in the interview.
He said that the plan was always for the Australian to stay with him during the North American hardcourt swing initially. Now that it's over, the Greek's father, Apostolos, has taken over as the main coach.
"What we had said with Mark was to do together, as a test, the American part of the season: Mexico, Canada, Cincinnati and the US Open. This partnership has ended, and now my father is taking over again," Stefanos Tsitsipas said.
