One of the most popular tennis-playing siblings on the men's tour is that of Stefanos Tsitsipas and his younger brother Petros Tsitsipas.
Hailing from a country without a rich tennis heritage, the story of the Tsitsipas brothers resonates with almost every other sibling with aspirations of one day making it to the top level of the pro tour. All they had was a dream, but both have become tennis figureheads back home.
Stefanos, who is 25 and the older of the two, is entrenched in the world's Top 10 and has been there for a while. He has headlined two Grand Slam finals in the past, finishing runner-up at the 2021 Roland Garros and more recently at the 2023 Australian Open.
Petros, 23, for his part, has risen to become a doubles specialist and is ranked in the world's Top 100 in that discipline. While growing up in Greece, they converted their parents' basement into a tennis court, and young Petros was so envious of his older brother's natural talent.
As every kid would do, Petros trespassed the confines of the tennis court that Stefanos was afforded so that he could play with his talented brother in the hope that one day he would reach his level. In an interview on ATPTour.com, Petros explains how his jealousy turned to inspiration just by training alongside Stefanos.
"I was quite jealous of him because he got to play tennis with my parents and I was just outside of the court watching. So I remember I just jumped on court, grabbed the racquet, and I tried to play with him. But obviously he was way better than me and then my goal was always to catch up with him one day.
From his earliest memory, Stefanos said they played together in doubles at an under-14 event in their native Greece. Last year, the pair memorably teamed up and won a doubles title in Antwerp, their first ever as a duo on the professional circuit.
Now that Stefanos has let the moment sink, he is able to fathom the magnitude and the emotions of that milestone. He says he cherished the moment after years of hard work had finally paid off and called it "one of the most important" moments in his career.
"The way to say that I get emotional is beyond imaginable. I do get emotional thinking about it because at the time, I wasn't thinking much of it, it was just a dream in my mind."
"And picturing me at the highest level of tennis, but also my brother alongside me, is in a way too good. I think we both own our place at the highest level of the ATP through all of our hard work and through all of our commitment that we've put in through the years."
Stefanos and Petros will have the chance to win an even bigger title this weekend in Greek colors. They are actively participating in the second edition of the United Cup and will face Team Germany in the quarterfinals on Friday.
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