Despite being one of the most prominent tennis players in recent years, Stefanos Tsitsipas had endured an incredible 11 consecutive ATP 500 final losses in his career. That streak was finally broken this Saturday when he defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-3 in the final of the Dubai Tennis Championship. However, the Greek received a playful taunt from Novak Djokovic.
Following Tsitsipas‘ victory in Dubai, Djokovic posted a funny message on social media. “No one beats Stefanos Tsitsipas 12x in a row on 500 Tour level,” the Serbian superstar wrote in an Instagram story, alongside a photo of Stefanos holding the trophy and an emoji of a face crying with laughter. “Well done!”
Novak is known for his light-hearted sense of humor, which is rare in tennis, so it is clear that the joke was part of a friendly rapport between the two stars. Through his congratulatory message, Djokovic showed he had been closely following Stefanos’ journey in Dubai and took the opportunity to send a message of praise as soon as the match concluded.
For Tsitsipas, this victory is not only his first ATP 500 title but also his first championship of 2025. With this win, the Greek tennis player now has 12 titles in his professional career. Additionally, he will reap a double reward: beginning Monday, he will climb from 11th to 9th in the ATP World Rankings, marking his return to the top ten.
Djokovic’s message to Tsitsipas on Instagram.
Tsitsipas breaks negative streak
Stefanos Tsitsipas had previously lost in his first 11 ATP 500 finals, including two in Dubai (in 2019 and 2020), before finally breaking that streak this weekend. The other finals defeats had come in Barcelona (four times), China, Hamburg, Mexico, Rotterdam, and Astana.
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“It’s a big relief that I’m able to hold that trophy after the third attempt,” Tsitsipas said in an interview shared by the ATP’s official website. “It’s something that I had in the back of my mind, and I’m happy to say I accomplished it. I’m just proud of the way I managed the pressure and was able to perform in those crucial moments.”
Tsitsipas also spoke about the significance of returning to the top ten. “These are the things we are fighting for as professional tennis players,” he explained. “To be owning a spot in the Top 10 is definitely one of the greatest feelings a tennis player can experience. It comes with hard work and sacrifices, but I’m happy that I’m in a position where I can really celebrate.”
Tsitsipas also takes it with humor
After his victory in Dubai, Stefanos Tsitsipas celebrated the win with enthusiasm, posting a humorous message on his official Instagram account. “They said my game was sinking, so I got myself a boat,” he wrote, next to a photo of him holding the Dubai ATP 500 trophy, which is shaped like a boat.
Stefanos Tsitsipas post on Instagram.
