Stefanos Tsitsipas withdrew from the ATP Finals on Tuesday due to a back ailment, which forced him to retire early in the first set against Holger Rune.
Sixth seed Tsitsipas was behind the first set 2-1 when he was forced to withdraw from the Green Group match, giving Finals newcomer Holger Rune his first win in the season-ending competition.
“I apologize to all of the fans and attendees that came to support me today. “I’m really disappointed that I couldn’t finish the match,” Tsitsipas, 25, told reporters.
Stefanos Tsitsipas on his retirement against Holger Rune at the ATP Finals: “My apologies to all the fans who came today. I’m disappointed that I couldn’t finish. It’s a shame not to offer that space to someone else so they may attempt and do something with it.”
Through our “In Their Words” series, we’ve been catching up with athletes who are leaders in their sports to talk about their experiences participating in games that almost didn’t happen. Steanos Tsitsipas, a world-ranked tennis player, discusses his experience as a first-time Olympian and how he copes with the strain of large competitions in this article.
How are you doing after a very busy few weeks?
It’s been a very intense season of competition, with multiple matches and tournaments. I enjoy the sport, but I’m a little psychologically weary from all of the competition; I believe I’ve hit the red zone and need some time to recharge before returning to the tour in a few weeks.
Was this your first Olympic Games, and had you always wanted to come here?
I’ve wanted to compete in the Olympics since I was a child; it’s one of the most important events in my country. In my mind, it was like achieving the pinnacle of what each sport had to offer. Of course, winning a medal is at the top of those dreams; it did not happen this year, but there will be many other opportunities, and I am confident that not only I, but other athletes, will benefit.
There is a lot of pride in participating and being a part of the Olympics, and I believe that every single athlete should be glad, regardless of the outcome, that they get the opportunity to represent their country and demonstrate their abilities in their specialty.
Can you tell about some of the emotions you felt during this experience?
I found the experience to be positively overwhelming because there was so much going on; it was something I will remember for a long time.
I’m glad I got to meet athletes from all around the world and in a variety of sports that I wouldn’t have met otherwise. I felt it wasn’t only about tennis, but that each sport is unique and great in its own way.
I’ve learnt a lot in the last two weeks, and it’s been an important lesson for me to grow and understand that competition and professional sports always produce positive results. It’s a celebration of international sports, competition, fair play, adversity, and genuine friendship.
