Stefanos Tsitsipas has admitted that the first experience of sharing court with Rafael Nadal was an overwhelming experience.
With Nadal close to his peak performances, the duo met in Barcelona in 2018 and Tsitsipas revealed that he felt terribly alienated and overpowered against the Spaniard.
The World #7 said remembered his first encounter against the 22-time Grand Slam champion where he was ruthlessly drubbed 6-1, 6-2.
“He is ruthless, has no mercy for anyone,” Tsitsipas told Eurosport when asked to recall what it was like to go up against Nadal in Barcelona.
“I felt that for the first time when I played him in Barcelona and he was completely ruthless.
“I remember his energy after the coin toss. It just felt like the stadium belongs to him and I haven’t felt that with a lot of tennis players that I’ve played and it’s really intimidating in a way.
“As a youngster, you’re not used to this feeling when you’re facing someone. So it was definitely something that I still carry with me mentally. I remember that feeling.”
The Greek #1 eventually earned a win against Nadal in Madrid in 2019 but admitted that he struggled to contain his awe when competing with childhood idols and GOATs.
“It took a while to get used to his ball to get used to also forget who is on the other side of the net. Because of course, I grew up watching him. I even had a poster in my room of him.
The 25-year-old added: “So it’s difficult in the beginning. You’re like, he’s my childhood hero.
“It took a few times to get over it, and eventually I did get an amazing win against him in Madrid [in 2019], which I still remember vividly and it brings back a sense of a great accomplishment.
“I would definitely consider that one of my best wins against him. And I do have a lot of respect for him because he has done things that I don’t think any other tennis player has done besides Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
“These are three guys that have really pushed the sport to its limits. It doesn’t go any further and it sometimes shows us that these people are not even human beings in a way.”
Tsitsipas enters Madrid as 6th seed and enjoys a bye into the R2 where he will face the winner of Dusan Lajovic vs Thiago Monteiro.
The 2024 Monte Carlo Masters champion does share a quarter with Nadal and could get the former World No.1 for a 10th meeting if the duo make it to last 16.