Stefanos Tsitsipas does not want to wait until Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic all retire before he becomes world No 1.
The 21-year-old Greek is one of the brightest stars to have emerged from the Next Gen over the last few years.
He rose to a career-high No 5 in the rankings earlier this year, beating Federer, Nadal and Djokovic en route.
Tsitsipas has since fallen down two places in the standings but feels he has the ability to really kick on and challenge the dominating trio.
“In order to get higher in the rankings, we have to surpass them and it’s quite a difficult task,” Tsitsipas said while at the Zhuhai Championships.
“But we are working on it, by ‘we’ I mean the young guys.
“As my slogan goes, don’t wait for an opportunity, create it.
“So I like to go after that and I don’t think it’s right to wait because you kind of surrender when you wait.”
Djokovic hailed Tsitsipas as “a new star in tennis” following the Madrid Open final, which the Serbian won.
“I am honoured that many players and people and everyone says that I’m the next thing because I remember years ago when no one would really talk about me,” Tsitsipas explained.
“It’s nice to see that change and see myself growing as a player, and respected and also talked about.”
Tsitsipas was reportedly told he was the second biggest name in Greece behind Coco-Cola.
But he seriously hopes such statement is false.
“I don’t know if it’s true, but I hope it’s not,” he said.
“It’s good, obviously, but it’s too soon to be there, too soon.
“I have a lot to improve, a lot to achieve.”