Stefanos Tsitsipas became the first Greek player to reach a Grand Slam final on Friday when he defeated Germany’s Alexander Zverev in a bruising five-setter at the French Open, admitting the experience had left him exhausted but proud.
Fifth-seeded Tsitsipas won 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 and will face Novak Djokovic in the championship match.
However, the 22-year-old will have his work cut out on Sunday — he is 2-5 playing Djokovic.
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“All I can think of is my roots, a small place outside Athens where I dreamed to play on the big stage at the French Open,” said a tearful Tsitsipas on making his first final at the majors, secured on a fifth match point.
“It was nerve-wracking, so intense, I stayed alive. I went out there and fought. This win means a lot, it’s the most important one of my career so far.”
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Tsitsipas had lost all of his previous three semi-finals at the Slams — at the 2019 and 2021 Australian Open as well as Roland Garros last year in five sets to Djokovic.
“It was just such a big relief I was able to close it in such a good way,” he said.
“It was just exhausting. I’m proud of myself. I’m grateful for every single match that I get to play. I’m obviously just blessed to have the opportunity to play against the best and test myself.”
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For Zverev, the US Open runner-up last year after surrendering a two-set lead to Dominic Thiem, it was a defeat he was determined to forget as quickly as possible.
“I don’t particularly care about semi-finals. Might sound arrogant. I’m not trying to be arrogant. I’m just saying it how it is,” he said.
“I wouldn’t have cared about a final either, to be honest. I didn’t win the tournament.
“Wimbledon is in two weeks’ time and I’m looking forward to that.”
Zverev erupted in frustration at the chair umpire in the third set after a questionable call in what was a testing match for the German.
His ball was initially called out before being overruled with the point awarded to his opponent and Zverev was left fuming at the decision.
“That’s bulls***. A bulls*** decision. How is that possible?” he asked.
The call stood and Zverev fought his way back but fell short in the end.
Tsitsipas took a 5-2 career lead over Zverev into the semi-final and he was the first to pounce with the only break of the opening set in the second game.
The rock-solid Greek didn’t give up a single break point although in an indication of the fine margins, Tsitsipas only hit one winner.
Zverev, bidding to become the first German man since Michael Stich in 1996 to reach the final in Paris, raced into a 3-0 lead in the second set.
However, Tsitsipas’ greater composure saw him rack up six consecutive games to move two sets ahead.
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The Greek had come into the semi-final certainly sharper having seen off three seeded players to get this far.
Zverev had needed five sets to beat his 152nd-ranked compatriot Oscar Otte in the first round and hadn’t faced a player inside the top 45 before Friday.
But Zverev carved out a break in the third game of the third set and this time backed it up despite a lengthy, foul-mouthed rant at the umpire over a disputed line call.
The 24-year-old German, now fired up, broke in the opening game of the fourth set and levelled the semi-final in the 10th game on the back of a brutal 27-shot rally.
Tsitsipas, playing in his third consecutive semi-final at the majors, crucially saved three break points in the first game of the decider.
He made the most of the escape, breaking the German for 3-1 and quickly securing the advantage for 4-1.
In a 10-minute eighth game, Zverev saved four match points, the second of which with a drop shot, the third with an ace.
However, Tsitsipas held his nerve and claimed victory after over three and a half hours on court with his eighth ace of the match.
