# Stefanos Tsitsipas (Στέφανος Τσιτσιπάς)
**Stefanos Tsitsipas** (Στέφανος Τσιτσιπάς; born 1998) is a Greek professional tennis player, a former world No. 3 and the winner of 13 ATP singles titles, including the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals and three [Monte-Carlo Masters](https://www.edgepedia.org/monte-carlo-masters) championships.[1](https://tsitsipas.com/on-court) • [2](https://www.itftennis.com/media/2681/2020-australian-open-day-1-mens-match-notes.pdf) • [3](https://www.livetennis.com/players/stefanos-tsitsipas) He is the highest-ranked Greek player in ATP history.[4](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/stefanos-/te51/bio)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1998; Greek; 194 cm (6'4"), 90 kg (198 lbs); right-handed with a one-handed backhand; resides in Monte Carlo, Monaco[1](https://tsitsipas.com/on-court) |
| Career-high ranking | No. 3, reached 9 August 2021[5](https://www.atptour.com/es/players/stefanos-tsitsipas/te51/rankings-breakdown?team=singles) |
| Singles titles | 13, from the 2018 Stockholm Open to the 2026 EFG Swiss Open Gstaad[1](https://tsitsipas.com/on-court) • [6](https://as.com/tenis/mas_tenis/stefanos-tsitsipas-vuelve-a-ganar-un-titulo-16-meses-despues-f202607-n/) |
| Biggest titles | 2019 Nitto ATP Finals (youngest champion at the event in 18 years); Monte-Carlo Masters 2021, 2022, and 2024[2](https://www.itftennis.com/media/2681/2020-australian-open-day-1-mens-match-notes.pdf) • [3](https://www.livetennis.com/players/stefanos-tsitsipas) |
| Junior career | Former junior world No. 1; boys' singles semifinals at 2016 Wimbledon and the 2016 US Open[2](https://www.itftennis.com/media/2681/2020-australian-open-day-1-mens-match-notes.pdf) • [4](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/stefanos-/te51/bio) |
| Signature shot | Forehand, his stated favorite shot and the basis of his attacking game[4](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/stefanos-/te51/bio) |
| 2026 status | Ranked as low as No. 51 in March 2026, his worst since April 2018, before winning Gstaad in July[7](https://as.com/tenis/mas_tenis/la-caida-sin-fin-de-tsitsipas-f202603-n/) • [6](https://as.com/tenis/mas_tenis/stefanos-tsitsipas-vuelve-a-ganar-un-titulo-16-meses-despues-f202607-n/) |
## Early life and junior career
Tsitsipas began playing tennis as a young child in a tennis family: his younger siblings Petros, Pavlos, and Elisavet all play the sport, and his father quit his job to travel with him before an aunt sponsored his junior career.[4](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/stefanos-/te51/bio) He rose to junior world No. 1 and reached the boys' singles quarterfinals at the 2015 and 2016 Australian Opens, with junior [Grand Slam](https://www.edgepedia.org/grand-slam-tennis) bests of semifinal appearances at 2016 Wimbledon (losing to [Denis Shapovalov](https://www.edgepedia.org/denis-shapovalov)) and the 2016 US Open (losing to Felix Auger-Aliassime).[2](https://www.itftennis.com/media/2681/2020-australian-open-day-1-mens-match-notes.pdf)
## Career highlights
**Breakthrough, 2018–2019.** Tsitsipas was named the 2018 ATP Most Improved Player of the Year after a season that included his first Tour-level title at Stockholm and a round-of-16 win over [Roger Federer](https://www.edgepedia.org/roger-federer) at the 2018 [Australian Open](https://www.edgepedia.org/australian-open).[4](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/stefanos-/te51/bio) • [2](https://www.itftennis.com/media/2681/2020-australian-open-day-1-mens-match-notes.pdf) In November 2019 he won the Nitto ATP Finals, becoming the youngest champion at the season-ending event in 18 years.[2](https://www.itftennis.com/media/2681/2020-australian-open-day-1-mens-match-notes.pdf)
**Peak, 2021–2024.** He reached the [French Open](https://www.edgepedia.org/french-open) final in 2021 and climbed to a career-high No. 3 on 9 August 2021, the highest ranking ever attained by a Greek player.[3](https://www.livetennis.com/players/stefanos-tsitsipas) • [5](https://www.atptour.com/es/players/stefanos-tsitsipas/te51/rankings-breakdown?team=singles) • [4](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/stefanos-/te51/bio) His most consistent hunting ground has been the clay of Monte-Carlo, where he won the Masters 1000 title in 2021, 2022, and 2024.[3](https://www.livetennis.com/players/stefanos-tsitsipas) He also defeated each of Federer, Rafael Nadal, and [Novak Djokovic](https://www.edgepedia.org/novak-djokovic) at least once during this period.[8](https://www.ubitennis.net/2021/08/statistical-profiles-stefanos-tsitsipas/) At the 2023 Australian Open he beat [Jannik Sinner](https://www.edgepedia.org/jannik-sinner) in five sets in the round of 16.[9](https://www.itftennis.com/media/15722/2026-australian-open-day-5-mens-match-notes.pdf) His most recent Grand Slam quarterfinal came at the 2024 French Open.[10](https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2026-09-05/one-handed_backhands_at_the_2026_us_open_federer_tsitsipas_parry_and_more.html)
## Playing style
**Forehand and serve.** Tsitsipas names the forehand as his favorite shot, and statistical analysis of his 2024 clay season shows how heavily he leans on it: across 11 lead-in matches at Monte-Carlo (champion), Madrid, and Rome he went 9-2, building points around early offense with the forehand.[4](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/stefanos-/te51/bio) • [11](https://www.atptour.com/en/news/tsitsipas-infosys-beyond-the-numbers-may-2024) His serve is a major weapon; in the 2026 Gstaad final he served four aces without a double fault and won 72% of points behind his second serve.[6](https://as.com/tenis/mas_tenis/stefanos-tsitsipas-vuelve-a-ganar-un-titulo-16-meses-despues-f202607-n/)
**The backhand problem.** His one-handed backhand, often described as elegant, has become the most analyzed weakness of his game. By early 2026 he was winning only about 14% of points on first-serve returns aimed at his backhand, down from roughly 23% historically, and opponents were directing more than 70% of their serves to that side, breaking up his classic serve-plus-forehand pattern.[7](https://as.com/tenis/mas_tenis/la-caida-sin-fin-de-tsitsipas-f202603-n/) Technical analyses point to a high net clearance, a high share of short balls landing in the middle of the court, and a slice-deficient return that invites opponents to rush him with the serve.[12](https://hughclarke.substack.com/p/technical-weaknesses-with-the-tsitsipas)
## Decline and revival, 2025–2026
A worsening back injury derailed his 2025 season: he retired from his Wimbledon first-round match against Valentin Royer, and his best result of the year was his 12th Tour-level title at Dubai in March, where he beat Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final.[9](https://www.itftennis.com/media/15722/2026-australian-open-day-5-mens-match-notes.pdf) In 2026 his ranking fell to No. 51 by late March, his lowest since April 2018, even as he recorded wins over top-20 players including [Taylor Fritz](https://www.edgepedia.org/taylor-fritz), Daniil Medvedev, and [Alex de Minaur](https://www.edgepedia.org/alex-de-minaur).[7](https://as.com/tenis/mas_tenis/la-caida-sin-fin-de-tsitsipas-f202603-n/) He also separated from his long-time coach, his father Apostolos Tsitsipas, saying the arrangement had kept him in his comfort zone.[13](https://www.lemonde.fr/sport/article/2025/01/01/ca-ne-changera-rien-au-jeu-contre-ca-ruine-le-duel-mental-et-strategique-au-tennis-le-coaching-est-desormais-autorise_6476297_3242.html)
The recovery came on clay and hard courts in the second half of 2026. At Gstaad in July, entering the tournament ranked 85th, he beat Raphael Collignon 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-3 in the final for his 13th career title and first in 16 months, leaving the tournament at No. 55.[6](https://as.com/tenis/mas_tenis/stefanos-tsitsipas-vuelve-a-ganar-un-titulo-16-meses-despues-f202607-n/) At the 2026 US Open he reached the third round, equalling his best result there, before losing to [Ben Shelton](https://www.edgepedia.org/ben-shelton).[10](https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2026-09-05/one-handed_backhands_at_the_2026_us_open_federer_tsitsipas_parry_and_more.html) • [14](https://www.tenniscongress.org/should-adult-tennis-players-still-use-a-one-handed-backhand) That defeat carried a broader significance for the sport: until then, every season since Grand Slam tennis began had seen at least one man with a single-handed backhand reach a Grand Slam semifinal, and Tsitsipas had been one of only three players keeping that streak alive in the previous five years.[10](https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2026-09-05/one-handed_backhands_at_the_2026_us_open_federer_tsitsipas_parry_and_more.html) • [14](https://www.tenniscongress.org/should-adult-tennis-players-still-use-a-one-handed-backhand)
## Off court
Tsitsipas produces his own podcast, "A Greek Abroad," works in photography and video editing, and supports the [Milwaukee Bucks](https://www.edgepedia.org/milwaukee-bucks) and AEK Athens. He is an ambassador for "Mazi gia to Paidi," a Greek organization helping underprivileged children, and during the COVID-19 pandemic he launched the Beyond 100 Support auction to benefit the ATP Player Relief Programme. He underwent right elbow surgery in November 2021.[4](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/stefanos-/te51/bio)
## References
1. [Stefanos Tsitsipas | On Court, official site](https://tsitsipas.com/on-court)
2. [2020 Australian Open Day 1 Men's Match Notes, ITF](https://www.itftennis.com/media/2681/2020-australian-open-day-1-mens-match-notes.pdf)
3. [Stefanos Tsitsipas | Ranking, Stats & Tennis Profile, LiveTennis](https://www.livetennis.com/players/stefanos-tsitsipas)
4. [Stefanos Tsitsipas | Bio, ATP Tour](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/stefanos-/te51/bio)
5. [Stefanos Tsitsipas | Rankings Breakdown, ATP Tour](https://www.atptour.com/es/players/stefanos-tsitsipas/te51/rankings-breakdown?team=singles)
6. [Stefanos Tsitsipas vuelve a ganar un título 16 meses después, AS](https://as.com/tenis/mas_tenis/stefanos-tsitsipas-vuelve-a-ganar-un-titulo-16-meses-despues-f202607-n/)
7. [La caída sin fin de Tsitsipas, AS](https://as.com/tenis/mas_tenis/la-caida-sin-fin-de-tsitsipas-f202603-n/)
8. [Statistical Profiles: Stefanos Tsitsipas, Ubitennis](https://www.ubitennis.net/2021/08/statistical-profiles-stefanos-tsitsipas/)
9. [2026 Australian Open Day 5 Men's Match Notes, ITF](https://www.itftennis.com/media/15722/2026-australian-open-day-5-mens-match-notes.pdf)
10. [One-handed backhands at the 2026 US Open, US Open official site](https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2026-09-05/one-handed_backhands_at_the_2026_us_open_federer_tsitsipas_parry_and_more.html)
11. [Tsitsipas' forehand punch: How early offense fuels the Greek's attack, ATP Tour](https://www.atptour.com/en/news/tsitsipas-infosys-beyond-the-numbers-may-2024)
12. [Technical weaknesses with the Tsitsipas backhand, Hugh Clarke](https://hughclarke.substack.com/p/technical-weaknesses-with-the-tsitsipas)
13. [Au tennis, le coaching est désormais autorisé, Le Monde](https://www.lemonde.fr/sport/article/2025/01/01/ca-ne-changera-rien-au-jeu-contre-ca-ruine-le-duel-mental-et-strategique-au-tennis-le-coaching-est-desormais-autorise_6476297_3242.html)
14. [Should Adult Tennis Players Still Use a One-Handed Backhand?, Tennis Congress](https://www.tenniscongress.org/should-adult-tennis-players-still-use-a-one-handed-backhand)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Racket and precision ball sports › Tennis › Tennis players and seasons › Individual tennis player biographies › Eastern European, Balkan, Russian, and Eurasian tennis player biographies*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license