Stefanos Tsitsipas shares his 2024 Paris Olympic aspirations

Stefanos Tsitsipas is the man of the moment in a tumultuous year of ATP men's tennis. The Big Three of yesteryear has been replaced with streaky players who are then upset by other players. Defeating what appeared to be the unstoppable Jannik Sinner in the semifinals of the Monte Carlo Masters was one of Tsitsipas's best wins in recent years.

The Greek tennis star is also a straight shooter with the press giving candid answers even if they may not be what people want to hear. When asked about the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics on the clay at Roland Garros, Tsitsipas talked about his dream to play singles and doubles with his brother Petros Tsitsipas, should they qualify as a doubles team.

Tsitsipas is not prioritizing mixed doubles in the Olympics to the disappointment of many including potential teammate Maria Sakkari. They were quarterfinalists in Tokyo. Both players want to win Olympic gold medals because of the ancient history of the Olympics in their country.

Why doesn't Tsitsipas want to play with Sakkari?

Knowing their chemistry and achievements on court together, why doesn't Tsitsipas want to play mixed doubles with Sakkari? The simple answer is that he feels that competing in all three tennis events would be too much for him.

The Olympics will be a grind for all players this year because of the switching of surfaces. Going from clay in May to grass in June and back to clay in July is a difficult transition.

Tsitsipas's family ties are important to him. However, that does not close the door to a possible pairing with Sakkari. It is unclear if Tsitsipas and his brother Petros would qualify as a doubles team. If that does not happen, he likely would pair with Sakkari and maintain his schedule of competing in two events. Sakkari is aware of his decision and spoke about it last week.

The Olympic storylines will become a bigger discussion point as the clay court season continues. Players who play well at Roland Garros will be the perceived favorites to repeat their successes two months later after the clay season has ended, but that will be easier said than done. It is also the reason why some players like Ben Shelton are considering not going to the Olympics and staying focused and scheduled for the already delineated clay, grass, and hardcourt seasons through the rest of the year.

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