There’s more than just tennis attracting female fans to the Australian Open this year.
‘Greek god’ tennis champion Stefanos Tsitsipas has been sending women into a frenzy since his debut on the court this year, with many tuning in just to see his smouldering physique in action.
At the age of 22, the hunky athlete has already been named the highest-ranked Greek player in history.
He’s a hit! ‘Greek god’ tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas, 22, has been sending women into a frenzy as he competes in the Australian Open. Pictured in Melbourne on Tuesday
Stefanos, who won his match against France’s Gilles Simon on Tuesday, is ranked the world’s No. 5, making him the youngest male player in the top ten.
Born in Athens, Stefanos grew up in a sporting family and began playing tennis at the age of six.
His father, Apostolos, has acted as his coach since Stefanos was 12 years old, and his mother, Ioulia, a former top-200 tennis player, has also spent years helping her son improve his skills.
Hot stuff! Stefanos, who won his match against France’s Gilles Simon on Tuesday, is ranked the world’s No. 5, making him the youngest male player in the top ten
Under his parents’ tutelage, the sportsman has dominated the international tennis circuit, and has even been dubbed the next Roger Federer.
However, Stefanos has made no secret of the fact that travelling around the world for tennis competitions with his parents in tow has its difficulties.
‘Sometimes, honestly, I’m tired of them, to have them around all the time. At the same time they’re my family and I love them. It’s not easy travelling with your family,’ he said last year.
Adonis: The talented athlete has attracted a legion of admirers thanks to his model good looks
Sorry, ladies! Unfortunately for his female admirers, Stefanos is said to be dating Greek socialite Theodora Petalas (pictured)
Aside from his sporting career, Stefanos is also a keen vlogger, often posting videos about his life on the road and the emotional battles he’s faced during his career.
In 2016, he made headlines when he shared an emotional vlog about the moment he almost drowned while swimming at the beach in Crete.
Fortunately, the then 18-year-old was saved by his father, who swam into the ocean and dragged him to safety.
Keeping it real: Aside from his sporting career, Stefanos is also a keen vlogger, often posting videos about his life on the road and the emotional battles he’s faced during his career
In his video, titled ‘The day I was supposed to lose my life’, Stefanos fought back tears as he recalled making peace with death as memories of his childhood flashed before his eyes.
Stefanos has a passion for modelling and photography too, and often posts photos on Instagram of himself looking thoughtful and brooding.
He also publishes artistic photographs of his friends and family under the pseudonym Steve the Hawk.
Near-death experience: In 2016, he made headlines by uploading an emotional vlog about the moment he almost drowned while swimming at the beach while visiting Crete for a competition
Patrick Mouratoglou, one of Stefanos’ tennis mentors, recently praised the athlete for his creative pursuits and sensitive soul.
‘He spends so much time filming and editing, which I think is something cool because it’s creative,’ Mouratoglou told the New York Times.
‘You could easily think, ‘Oh, the guy is not focused on tennis; he’s a tourist. But all the players have their own way to move away from tennis, and that’s his way to move away from tennis,’ he added.
Photogenic: Stefanos also has a passion for modelling and photography, and often uploads moody photos of himself posing on Instagram
With his talent, good looks and artistic passions, it’s no wonder the hunk has sent many hearts aflutter while competing at the Australian Open this year.
Unfortunately for his many female admirers, however, Stefanos is said to be dating a Greek socialite Theodora Petalas.
In January, Theodora popped up on Stefanos’ Instagram feed as they holidayed in Dubai together.
Multi-talented: He also regularly publishes artistic photographs of his friends and family in an Instagram account under the pseudonym Steve The Hawk
While the hunk failed to tag the brunette beauty, he did include a photo of her posing in a bikini at their hotel’s swimming pool.
Stefanos previously shut down rumours he was dating fellow Greek tennis star Maria Sakkari in October 2019.
At the time, he told Tennis World that he was still single, and looking for a woman with beauty and brains.
‘I think is something cool’: Patrick Mouratoglou, one of Stefanos’ tennis mentors, recently praised the athlete for his creative pursuits and sensitive soul
‘She needs to be clever,’ he said. ‘Of course, the beauty plays an important factor too.’
‘I would like my partner to understand me. A tennis player’s life is not easy. There are many trips and you have to stay focused, have eyes set on your goals.
In January last year, Australian model Montana Cox told The Sunday Telegraph’s Confidential that she hoped to meet the ‘gorgeous’ Greek hunk at the tennis competition.
All eyes on him! In January last year, Australian model Montana Cox (pictured) told The Sunday Telegraph’s Confidential that she hoped to meet the ‘gorgeous’ Greek hunk at the tennis competition
Whoops! Meanwhile, Stefanos made headlines on Tuesday night after he gave a rather awkward interview about his victory over Frenchman Gilles Simon
‘Honestly that Greek guy [Stefanos] – I am in love with him. He is gorgeous. I’ve checked to see if he is going to the event,’ Montana told the paper.
Meanwhile, Stefanos made headlines on Tuesday night after he gave a rather awkward interview about his victory over Frenchman Gilles Simon.
Chatting with tennis great and two-time Australian Open champion Jim Courier, Stefanos had the crowd in stitches after his answers inadvertently painted him as an egomaniac.
Oh dear: Chatting with tennis great and two-time Australian Open champion Jim Courier, Stefanos had the crowd in stitches after his answers inadvertently painted him as an egomaniac
Courier started by asking if Stefanos was shocked at the one-sided outcome against Simon, who at his peak was ranked sixth in the world in 2009.
‘I don’t know what to say,’ Stefanos replied. ‘I obviously wasn’t expecting it to come so easy. It was a great match from my side.’
The Melbourne Park crowd were shocked at the brash response, but soon began to laugh as Stefanos tried in vain to recover on the run.
‘Oh my God, I feel I messed it up already. I think I played a spectacular match from the beginning to the end,’ he said, before adding ‘I can just leave if you want me to’.
‘It was a great match from my side’: The audience laughed as Stefanos accidentally took a stab at Frenchman Gilles Simon in his post-match interview