Just a few days before the start of the ATP Finals, world no. 6, Stefanos Tsitsipas, had committed to donating $10,000 to the animal charity foundation, Humane League, for every set he won at the ATP Finals.
However, after facing consecutive setbacks with a straight-set loss to Sinner and a subsequent retirement against Rune, Tsitsipas decided to withdraw from the tournament, his last of the 2023 season.
Tsitsipas is donating to The Humane League helping to end the abuse of factory farmed animals.
byu/UnderstandingIcy4242 intennis
This resulted in a zilch donation towards the cause he had pledged. The situation drew parallels to an incident involving NBA star Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. During an All-Star Weekend, Curry was unexpectedly asked to attempt half-court shots to raise money for charity. However, Curry went 0/5 when each shot was worth $1,000 to charity.
A few days ago, Tsitsipas pledged to donate 10k to the Humane League for every set he wins. After a straight set loss a Sinner and a retirement against Rune, Tsitsipas decided to withdraw, meaning he donated 0$
byu/musicproducer07 intennis
Comment
byu/musicproducer07 from discussion
intennis
Curry’s cold streak led to social media memes playfully suggesting that “Steph Curry hates charity.” In a surprising turn of events, a Reddit user likened Stefanos Tsitsipas’ predicament to Curry’s, dubbing him the “Steph Curry of Tennis.” Tsitsipas’ charitable commitment went in vain, much like his efforts in the season-ending elite ATP Finals tournament.
Tsitsipas’ unmemorable 2023 ATP Finals
Stefanos Tsitsipas faced a challenging stint in the 2023 edition of the ATP Finals. Before the start of the tournament, there were concerns about his fitness, raising concerns about his physical condition. But he overcame the elbow and shoulder concerns he was facing to put up a spirited performance in his first match against the form player Jannik Sinner, albeit on the losing side.
He lost in straight sets, 4-6, 4-6, with one break of serve in each set. Sinner’s aggressive play targeting Tsitsipas’ backhand and immaculate performance set the tone for the match, leaving Tsitsipas with limited answers. In his subsequent match against Holger Rune, Tsitsipas initially showed promise, earning break points and leveling the set.
Stefanos Tsitsipas retires against Holger Rune at the ATP Finals
Very sad news. He’s been finding himself these last few weeks on court
Wishing him a quick recovery. ❤️🩹
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) November 14, 2023
However, as Rune’s service game progressed, signs of back trouble for Tsitsipas emerged, leading to a physio intervention. Unfortunately, Tsitsipas had to retire from the match as his injury couldn’t be resolved on the court, culminating in his withdrawal from the tournament as well.
Stefanos Tsitsipas speaks on his injury woes
Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed that the demanding tennis tour might be responsible for his recent back injury, leading to his early withdrawal from the ATP Finals. Tsitsipas acknowledged the toll the season had taken on his body, suggesting that the constant “hunting” for ranking points contributed to his physical struggles.
Gutted by the missed opportunity at the ATP Finals, Tsitsipas, a five-time qualifier and 2019 champion, expressed disappointment, stating, “It definitely hurts me a lot because this is the tournament that means the most to me, including the Grand Slams. I’m not able to compete the way I want to compete.”
“It kills me not to be able to finish this tournament” 😢
You’ll be back next year, @StefTsitsipas 💪#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/T77gc2D0aD
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 14, 2023
Reflecting on the rigorous tour, Tsitsipas highlighted the challenges of playing at a consistently high level without getting any easy matches on the men’s tour. He pointed to a possible combination of insufficient rest, inadequate preparation, and overload as factors contributing to his injury.