Melbourne Park turned blue yesterday as the flags of Melbourne’s Greek community waved in celebration of Stefanos Tsitsipas’ victory over Spanish Roberto Bautista Agut.
The reaction online since then has been similarly ecstatic.
“You are Greece’s star. Bravo Stefane,” reads one user's joyous tweet.
You know a Greek is playing when the crowd's volume is turned up a tad louder than usual, and cheering, “Pame Stefane!” (Let’s do this Stefane!).
Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas is the youngest tennis player to reach major semi-finals since Djokovic in 2007 and in the first 22 days of 2019 he has achieved one of his year's goals.
“It all feels like a fairytale almost,” Tsitsipas told at the post-match afternoon interview yesterday.
He never misses an opportunity to say how much he loves Melbourne and how well supported he feels here. Such a shout out, of course, makes Greeks in Australia to want to support him even more passionately.
Ιn their eyes, Tsitsipas is the future of their homeland, Greece, and a good excuse for them to get together and celebrate.
“Tsitsipas’ victory motivates us as Greek youth to work hard and strive toward our goals. Stefanos has unified the community with his success so far. He has brought joy and pride to Greeks in Melbourne and worldwide,” Themistocles Kritikakos, President of Melbourne University Greek Association (MUNGA) told SBS Greek.
“Stefanos positively represents Greeks and is an inspiration to Greek youth. It was heartening to witness so many Greeks together at the Australian Open supporting young Tsitsipas.” - Nicky Bazzano, Cultural and Affiliations Officer of MUNGA also said.
(L) Themistocles Kritikakos, President of MUNGA with (R) Nicky Bazzano, Cultural and Affiliations Officer of MUNGA (source: Themistocles Kritikakos) Source: (source: Themistocles Kritikakos)
A well known Greek restaurant in Melbourne, has even approached him and asked him to suggest the ingredients for a new “Tsitsipas Souvlaki”, in a tradition that saw the restaurant also name a souvlaki for Cypriot tennis player Marco Baghdatis in a past year.
“It will have Lamb, potatoes, tomatoes, tzatziki, pomegranate and basil,” Tsitsipas said at the press conference yesterday.
There are rumours that there is another option for Tsitsipas. To become 'Aussie Stef'. Let’s wait and see.
In the meantime, he is our #TsitsiFast.
