Stefanos Tsitsipas fondly reveals the 'deal' that led to his relationship with girlfriend Paula Badosa

Stefanos Tsitsipas recently looked back on the first time he approached his now-girlfriend Paula Badosa following a tough match that the Spaniard won in Rome two years ago. The Greek admitted that he didn't want to come off too strong back then, while also expressing an interest in getting to know her off the court.

Tsitsipas and Badosa have been dating each other since June 2023. While the star couple broke up for some time last May, they were quick to find their way back to each other a few weeks later. Their relationship has only gone from strength to strength since then. The 26-year-old even teased the prospect of their wedding at this year's Laureus World Sports Awards, much to the adoration of the tennis world.

Earlier this week, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa sat down for a candid chat with Greek tabloid in.gr, where they talked about their relationship in detail. The World No. 20 recalled the first time he had texted the 27-year-old on her Instagram handle following her second-round victory at the 2023 Italian Open, mentioning a new detail: he wouldn't have gone through with the message had she lost.

"Our first contact was in Rome, when I sent her a message after she won a very tough match. I watched the whole match on TV and really enjoyed it. I made a little deal with myself: if she won, I would send her a message. I was calm, I didn't want to push it." Stefanos Tsitsipas said. "I wanted to get to know her as a person, because it's one thing to see her on TV and another to meet her in person."

During the interaction, Tsitsipas also spoke briefly about how their respective careers on the ATP and WTA Tours helped them relate with each other.

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Stefanos Tsitsipas: "The lonely moments and the struggles are experiences we share and that has brought us closer"

A tennis pro's life on tour can be tough considering they are always away from family and traveling from tournament to tournament. That said, the process has been a lot easier for Stefanos Tsitsipas by his own admission, with Paula Badosa by his side, as they have a high level of "understanding" due to their similar struggles.

"Our shared profession created a kind of understanding without words. The demands of the tour, the lonely moments, the struggles, are experiences we share and that has brought us closer," he added.

Tsitsipas and Badosa will next play at the French Open later this month. While the Greek finished runner-up at the 2021 edition of the tournament, the Spaniard reached the last eight in singles the same year.