Stefanos Tsitsipas has truly set himself up for one of the most hectic weeks of his life in Paris.
Naturally, his participation in the men’s singles draw was expected, and the Greek tennis star actually boasts a great chance of going deep in the tournament given how open it is for a change.
However, his progress could well be scuppered by the fact that he has also gone in for both the men’s and mixed doubles.
Tomorrow, he is actually due to face Daniel Altmaier at the same time as he goes to battle with Paula Badosa, his girlfriend, by his side. Tsitsipas did hint at playing doubles with Badosa back during the Australian Open too.
How he is going to do it all remains a mystery, but it is clear that he is embracing the French Open fully.
Stefanos Tsitsipas would love to face Roger Federer one more time
Speaking after his first-round win over Márton Fucsovics to Eurosport, the 25-year-old was quizzed on plenty of things both inside and outside of the tennis world.
However, when asked about his dream opponent, delving into the former of those two, his reply was a shocking one.
Naturally, with his patented one-handed backhand, he is always bound to align with Roger Federer.
But given the quality of the Swiss superstar, few would relish taking to the court against him, given his imperious record and legacy as one of the greatest of all time.
Regardless, Tsitsipas noted: ‘I would probably pick Roger Federer because he is my childhood idol and I always loved playing against him.’
Stefanos Tsitsipas would have stood no chance against prime Roger Federer
Funnily enough, Tsitsipas actually boasts a winning record against Federer, but it is worth noting that all five of their matches came in 2019, just three years before his retirement at the age of 41.
However, were they to have played with the 42-year-old at the peak of his powers, as he perhaps was a decade earlier, there would have been no chance for the 2024 Monte-Carlo champion.
After all, in every aspect that he excels in, Federer outperformed him.
His fine forehand pails in comparison to the legendary precision of the 20-time Grand Slam champion, and his one-handed backhand, whilst strong, does not come close to one of the most iconic shots in tennis history.
Regardless, it would likely be a great learning experience for Tsitsipas.
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