We spoke to Stefanos Tsitsipas ahead of his return to the United Cup alongside Maria Sakkari; the top-10 stars will represent second-seeded Team Greece in Group B in Sydney.

“Every single year, I'm extremely pumped when I get to represent my country at such big stages and it's an honour that means more than anything else. (In 2023) we did have a big chance and a big possibility of even making it to the finals and having a chance of winning the whole thing.

“That was the first time that I felt like Greece was really united in terms of players and hunting down that one goal that we had with no hesitation and no doubt that we are actually able to get it. In the previous editions where it was mainly focused around men and didn't have the influence of woman, by our side, things were a little bit different. We weren't able to get as dee. But this year was a great example of how combining our powers, and me and Maria, but also the number two players from both men and women, we were able to show a good strength and confidence as well.

TICKETS: Cheer on Team Greece at United Cup 2024 in Sydney

“I felt like we were so confident on the court; we knew that if we put the right pieces together, the puzzle can be completed and we were very close, we were extremely close (in 2023). I feel like we completed 80 per cent of the job.

“(Maria and I) refuse to give up. We both fight relentlessly and we try and utilise every single weapon that we have in our artillery to make this work for both of us. If we have to rally both from the baseline, we're capable of doing that. If I'm sometimes required to come to the net, I'm able to do that. I feel like Maria is a pretty complete player herself being able to play any given moment anywhere within the court, and that helps me a lot as a guy to be playing sometimes a mixed doubles with her. It makes for hell of a lot of fun getting to play with such fighter like Maria… even at your worst days, refuses to let that sort of overtake her and we always tend to find ways, whether it's a storm or an even bigger thunderstorm, we're still able to find ways around it.

SAKKARI x TSITSIPAS: A Bond Powering Team Greece at United Cup

SYDNEY: United Cup City Spotlight

“I've had a lot of fun travelling around Australia and just seeing Greeks show up on courts everywhere. It just feels amazing to get that. This year in Sydney, I had probably one of the best Greek support that I have ever had in any tournament competition in my life. I've had an amazing atmosphere being built up during my match with Italy and it left me with some memorable, intense memories that live rent free inside my head and I've enjoyed every single minute of it on court. It's been an absolute pleasure.”

More in this series

> Chatting with Qinwen Zheng
> Talking with Taylor Fritz