Stefanos Tsitsipas recently disclosed that he had a dinner with Novak Djokovic in Athens, Greece, his hometown. The Greek player, ranked among the top in the world, mentioned that this meeting occurred a few weeks after Djokovic and his family relocated permanently to Athens in September of last year, offering Tsitsipas an opportunity to gain valuable insights from the Serbian star.
Djokovic decided to settle in Athens due to the
“historical, religious, cultural, and social ties between Greece and Serbia.”
He also selected the Hellenic Championship in Athens as his season-ending tournament in 2025 rather than the Paris Masters. Djokovic triumphed at the ATP 250 Athens event, defeating Lorenzo Musetti in the final.
Tsitsipas Highlights Tennis as a Lonely Sport and Bonds with Djokovic
In a discussion on the What’s the Call? podcast with Theodora and Andrea, Tsitsipas described tennis as a “very individualistic” and “lonely” sport that leaves little time for players to form strong bonds due to constant travel and unpredictability. Nevertheless, he recounted a special moment when he spent two hours dining with Djokovic in his home area of Vouliagmeni shortly after Djokovic’s arrival in Greece.
“It’s a very individualistic sport. It’s really a very lonely sport,” Stefanos Tsitsipas said. “And you’re always on the move, always on the go. You don’t have time to settle. And it’s very unpredictable as well. You don’t know where you’re going to leave. Day by day, you’re trying to see where that leads to. So I had dinner with Novak a few months ago in my hometown, Vouliagmeni. And that was the first few weeks when he moved to Greece. So I obviously invited him. We had a nice little dinner for two hours.” (21:30 onwards)
Tsitsipas further revealed that his curiosity to learn from Djokovic’s vast experience motivated the dinner, as he was eager to hear the Serbian’s career lessons and medical routines.
“I was very curious to learn from him. I’m really curious to learn from his career, from his lessons that he’s learned throughout his career, his medical stuff, all these things that he does. And there was a lot of insightful stuff that I got out of it. Very interesting guy to talk to on a deep level. And I really had a lot of fun spending time with him,” Tsitsipas added.
Djokovic’s Performance Since Moving to Athens
Since Novak Djokovic’s relocation to Athens last September, his form on the court has remained strong, with only two match losses. Among his notable achievements, he reached the semifinals at the Shanghai Masters, emerged as the champion at the ATP 250 event in Athens, and recently finished as runner-up at the 2026 Australian Open.
Tsitsipas Teases Djokovic About Starting a Business in Athens
Following news of Djokovic’s move to Greece, Stefanos Tsitsipas joked with the Serbian star about opening a local Greek restaurant together. The banter became widely popular after a photo surfaced showing the two players chatting during a Wimbledon practice session, which sparked fan speculation about their conversation.
Tsitsipas shared the playful exchange on his X page by captioning a photo with a humorous message:
“Novak: “So… when are we opening that Greek taverna?” Me: “When you finally learn how to make tzatziki without using soy yogurt.””
Despite Djokovic’s steady performance, Tsitsipas has struggled to maintain momentum in recent tournaments. After a promising start with three consecutive wins at the United Cup, he experienced an early exit in Adelaide, followed by second-round losses at both the Australian Open and in Rotterdam.
Novak: “So… when are we opening that Greek taverna?”
Me: “When you finally learn how to make tzatziki without using soy yogurt.” https://t.co/0O45o8Ui5B
— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@stefanos) June 24, 2025
