French Open: Stefanos Tsitsipas learned of grandmother’s death minutes before the final

Despite going 2 sets up on Sunday (June 13), the Greek tennis star lost a tough five-setter 6-7 (6/8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 against World No. 1 Djokovic and following the loss, the 22-year-old, who reached his first Grand Slam final, dedicated the feat to his late grandmother via a social media post.

“Five minutes before entering the court my very beloved grandmother lost her battle with life. A wise woman whose faith in life, and willingness to give and provide can’t be compared to any other human being that I have ever met,” Tsitsipas wrote on Instagram.

“It’s important to have more people like her in this world. Because people like her make you come alive. They make you dream,” he said.

“I would like to say that regardless of the day, circumstance or situation, this is entirely dedicated to her, and only her. Thank you for raising my father. Without him, this wouldn’t have been possible,” he added.

French Open: Tsitsipas ‘could easily have cried’ after Djokovic defeat but believes grand slam is close

After receiving the tragic news, the Greek put the loss in perspective as he said there are more important things in life than winning trophies.

“Life isn’t about winning or losing. It’s about enjoying every single moment in life whether that’s alone or with others,” Tsitsipas wrote.

“[It is about] living a meaningful life without misery and abjection. Lifting trophies and celebrating wins is something, but not everything.”

(With Agency inputs)