“Shot of the Year”: Fans React to Stefanos Tsitsipas’ Throwback Over-the-Net Winner Video

While the 2024 season did not go according to the script for Stefanos Tsitsipas, he can still take some positives from it. His third Monte-Carlo Masters title would have been a proud achievement for the Greek star. But his most famous moment came at the Australian Open when he hit an insane over-the-net winner.

Tsitsipas shared a clip of that incredible moment on his X account and it instantly became a hit. And why not? It’s not every day that you get to see such a shot.

Not a lot was going Tsitsipas’ way in his opening-round match against Zizou Bergs. After losing the first set, Stef had a chance to break Bergs at the start of the second. But there wasn’t much room for error, as both players were doing their best to stay alive in the rally.

At one point, Tsitsipas struck a powerful backhand that almost felt like a winner, but the outstretching Bergs somehow managed to reach it. The looping ball barely landed on Tsitsipas’ side of the net but the powerful backspin caused it to spin back into the Belgian player’s court.

As the crowd gasped for breath, Stef stretched to the other side of the net and directed the shot toward the chair umpire. The entire stadium erupted in disbelief! Fortunately, Tsitsipas did not touch the net with his leg, hand, or racket – otherwise, he would have lost the point.

It’s been nearly 11 months since Stef pulled off that remarkable shot and fans still haven’t gotten over it. They flooded the throwback video’s comments section and praised Tsitsipas’ never-give-up attitude.

That moment apparently provided the boost Stef needed to turn the tide in his favor and win the match. However, he did not have a deep run at the Australian Open, suffering a fourth-round exit.

While there have been some memorable moments this year, his campaign has been largely frustrating. Due to the inconsistencies, Tsitsipas failed to qualify for the ATP Finals for the first time in six years.

Not qualifying for the ATP Finals was a humbling experience: Tsitsipas

Over the last half a decade Tsitsipas has established himself as a top-10 player, shown by his five successive appearances in the year-end tournament. Unfortunately, Stef wasn’t able to maintain that streak this year, leaving him disappointed.

“Not making it into the ATP Finals this year was a humbling experience, teaching me the value of resilience and perspective. I strive for it, but I’ve learned that perfection doesn’t exist within me, and that’s okay,” he wrote on Instagram.

Tsitsipas’s tone in the post suggests that he is not entirely satisfied with how the season has turned out. The World No.11 will be eager to make up for it next season. And what better way to do this than during the Australian summer, in the run-up to the first Grand Slam of the year?