As we start looking forward to the start of the ATP this summer, you can’t help but think about the fastest rising superstar in the world of tennis. I’m talking about Stefanos Tsitsipas, who won the year end ATP Championship in 2019, finished the year ranked number six, and had massive expectations heading into 2020. Unfortunately for him, the pandemic hit.

Let’s flashback to 2019 where 20-year-old Tsitsipas started the year with that memorable Australian Open semifinal appearance. From there, he was a fixture in later rounds at big events such as making the finals at Dubai and Madrid, the semis at Rome and the Shanghai Masters. It was no surprise he ended the year in such a high note, beating Dominic Thiem in a memorable ATP finals championship.

Although 2020 did not start perfectly for Tsitsipas, losing to Milos Raonic in the third round for the Australian Open, his last result was a solid run to the Dubai final where he lost to Novak Djokovic. Everyone was expecting Stefanos to continue dominating and going deep into tournaments.

So where does he stand as we head into the re-opening of the ATP with Washington DC first on the docket? My money is on Tsitsipas making some noise later this summer. Tsitsipas has been playing the Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS), and currently tops the standings with a 5-1 record. This is pretty impressive, considering the high quality of the players participating; which include Matteo Berrettini, Dominic Thiem, and David Goffin. As the UTS winds down, nobody on tour will be as prepared as these players, and the fact that Tsitsipas leads the bunch is a clear signal of things to come for him.