"It kind of destroyed me" – Stefanos Tsitsipas reveals most painful thing he has ever heard

Stefanos Tsitsipas dedicated his first Grand Slam final appearance to his grandmother.

During a recent interview with social media creator Hunter Prosper, the Greek tennis star spoke about the most painful thing he has ever been told. The two-time Grand Slam finalist revealed that he learned of his grandmother’s death right after the 2021 French Open final, where he lost to Novak Djokovic.

Stefanos Tsitsipas delivered a stellar performance at the 2021 Roland Garros, defeating the likes of Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Pablo Carreño Busta, and John Isner on his way to the summit clash.

However, he fell short against 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in a five-set battle, which ended 6-7 (6-8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

Only a few minutes after his defeat, the Greek tennis star was informed about the passing of his grandmother. Tsitsipas said that her death was one of the most painful moments of his life. He recalled (via @hunter_prosper/IG):

“I got told after my Roland Garros final that my grandmother passed away. The craziest thing about it is that I felt something in the air when I was walking out. I remember looking up towards the sky when I was entering the court, which I never do. I felt some presence in the sky. It came literally an hour after I lost the final. It kind of destroyed me at that very moment. She was the one who loved me the most that I ever knew, and to have her go was probably one of the most painful experiences of my life.”

The Greek tennis star also emphasised the importance of cherishing life.

“It makes me realise that we should cherish life, every single moment that we have with the people that we love, and moments come and go.”

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A post shared by Hunter Prosper (@hunter_prosper)

Hunter Prosper also asked Tsitsipas about his grandmother’s name. After stating her name, Tsitsipas fondly recalled her cooking the best spanakopita — a Greek dish also known as savoury spinach pie.

“Stavoula. Her smile was the most genuine, the most honest thing that I have ever seen in my life. It was full of love; you could see faith through her eyes. She made the best spanakopita I’ve ever had in my life.”

Tsitsipas is currently in Ohio, where he is participating in the Cincinnati Open 2025 in both the men’s singles and men’s doubles events.

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