The Greek tennis star enjoyed a successful trip to the Philippines, beating the Southeast Asian country in the Davis Cup, yet was truly rewarded by the amazing people and culture in Manila.
When Tsitsipas arrived in the Philippines he ate the traditional food ‘taho’, also posting photos of Manila at night and finding time to give back to the host country in his own way.
In a vlog posted on his Youtube account, the world No. 6 bought groceries and meals for the homeless living in Manila’s streets. Tsitsipas speaks about the western worlds obsession with modern issues, that to people in third world countries are minuscule thoughts.
Stefanos and his companion said that the 20 euros they spent to buy groceries would only afford them coffee and snacks in some European countries, noting the difference in the value of money.
“The 20 Euros we spent, which is nothing really, will feed them for about a week,” Tsitsipas’ companion added.
Tsitsipas let children in the store pick anything that they wanted, from chocolate bars to chips. The Greek player was shocked to see one of the kids pick out just a bottle of water.
“With all the issues of coronavirus in the world…. Nobody talks about global hunger,” he said in the video.
Tsitsipas also personally thanked the President of the Philippines Tennis Federation for taking care of them for the week.
“Overall it was a really humbling and well balanced trip that I will remember for a long time,” Tsitsipas concluded.
The Greek star also left a message to the people of the Philippines on his social media accounts.
“Thank you for putting a smile on my face every single day. Thank you for spreading kindness and generosity. Thank you for embodying and applying this warmth into your daily lives,” he said on Instagram.
“It’s truly remarkable and a great example for every nation out there to be like you. Thank you for showing me your love and making me feel awesome. I leave a gift behind, and that’s my heart. God bless the Philippines!”