‘Roger Federer is my idol,’ Stefanos Tsitsipas’ love for the Swiss Maestro passes yet another test as he ignores Rafael Nadal’s clear superiority on clay

Stefanos Tsitsipas , a huge fan of Roger Federer, consistently expresses his admiration for the Swiss legend over other tennis greats.

This time, Tsitsipas was put to an ultimate test when he was asked about who he wanted to be like Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal on clay. While every other statistic shows that Nadal has had more success on clay, Tsitsipas still backed his idol.

I would say a combination of both. I know I say a lot that Roger Federer is my idol, but I find beauty in Rafael Nadal, too. Stefanos Tsitsipas said during his media day at the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters

Nadal holds numerous clay court records and trophies, surpassing Federer’s achievements on this surface. While being compared to Federer on clay is commendable, Nadal’s dominance on this terrain is unmatched. Tsitsipas’ loyalty towards Federer since the beginning of his tennis career has been on full display, also evident in his one-handed backhand, and the recent support of his idol in this comparison.

Stefanos Tsitsipas’ climb back to form as he continues to dominate at the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters

Greek pro-Stefanos Tsitsipas has been on the form search this year. After an average start to the year, Tsitsipas saw himself out of the Top 10. He is currently placed at World No.12 as he hopes to get back his spot. 

Luckily, he seems to have found his mojo at the right time, as he cruises past the rounds in Monaco. After a first-round walkthrough, the Greek continued to play better in the next round, beating Tomas Etcheverry in straight sets, including a bagel set. 

Following this, the Greek was up against a familiar opponent, Alexander Zverev, for a spot in the quarter-finals. It was a close match, but Tsitsipas managed to break at the last moment, winning both sets narrowly. Though it was a straight-set victory, there was nothing easy about it, as the German ace put up a good fight.

However, Tsitsipas continues to perform well, as he made it to yet another Monte Carlo quarter-finals. Having won two consecutive Monte Carlo Master titles (2021 and 2022), Tsitsipas is one of the favorites for the tournament.