Tsitsipas learned about grandmother’s death five minutes before French Open final
Stefanos Tsitsipas revealed on Monday morning that he learned of his grandmother’s death five minutes before his epic Roland Garros final against Novak Djokovic.
“Five minutes before entering the court my very beloved grandmother lost her battle with life. A wise woman whose faith in life, and willingness to give and provide can’t be compared to any other human being that I have ever met,” 22-year-old Tsitsipas wrote in a post on Instagram.
“It’s important to have more people like her in this world. Because people like her make you come alive. They make you dream,” he wrote, dedicating his first Grand Slam final to her.
“I would like to say that regardless of the day, circumstance or situation, this is entirely dedicated to her, and only her. Thank you for raising my father. Without him this wouldn’t have been possible,” he wrote.
On Sunday, Tsitsipas built a big lead and appeared on his way to an upset victory, but the Serb completed a mammoth turnaround to win his 19th major title, 6-7 (6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
“Life isn’t about winning or losing. It’s about enjoying every single moment in life whether that’s alone or with others,” Tsitsipas wrote.
“Living a meaningful life without misery and abjection. Lifting trophies and celebrating wins is something, but not everything,” he wrote.
