World No.11 Stefanos Tsitsipas has opened up on his near miss at the 2023 Australian Open, saying it remains his career highlight despite the heartbreak that came with it.
Tsitsipas endured a disappointing 2024 campaign by his lofty standards, winning just one ATP title and failing to reach the semi-finals in any of the four majors.
The 26-year-old Greek star was beaten in the fourth round of the Australian Open, the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, round two at Wimbledon and round one at the US Open.
Tsitsipas, the former world No.3, has twice reached the final of a grand slam.
He led Djokovic two sets to nil in the championship match at the 2021 French Open before losing in five sets.
At the 2023 Australian Open final, Tsitsipas lost again to Djokovic 6-3 7-6 7-6.
"Certainly it's my best memory on court ever," Tsitsipas said of that Australian Open decider.
"Even though I lost that final, it was such a big, important moment in my career because I was suddenly faced with perhaps a potential grand slam win and my all-time childhood dream, which was to finish No.1 in the world.
"Both were right in front of me. It's probably the only time in my life that I felt like everything is really under my control and I just need to focus 100 per cent.
"Unfortunately it didn't happen, but the importance of it mesmerised me and made me kind of emotional that I'm getting so close to what I was dreaming for my entire life."
Tsitsipas is headlining Greece's campaign alongside world No.32 Maria Sakkari at the mixed-team United Cup in Perth and Sydney.
They begin at Perth's RAC Arena on Saturday night against Group C rivals Spain, led by Pablo Carreno Busta and Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
Tsitsipas hopes a successful United Cup campaign will lead to a good result at the Australian Open and a fruitful 2025.
"I'm looking to kind of reinvent myself," Tsitsipas said.
"I felt like I've been stuck in a pattern over the last few months. I haven't been able to kind of unlock the pattern or get out of it.
"I'm looking for a fresh, new 2025. That doesn't mean to suddenly just start winning everything. That's not the point of this.
"It's just to see a trajectory of constant improvement and improving in all fields in my career, but also in my outside life."
