Stefanos Tsitsipas Opens Up on ‘Toxic’ Relationship With Father After Hiring Goran Ivanisevic As Coach

Stefanos Tsitsipas dropped to No.26 position on the rankings table after his defeat in the second round of the French Open.

Stefanos Tsitsipas Opens Up on ‘Toxic’ Relationship With Father After Hiring Goran Ivanisevic As Coach

Goran Ivanisevic, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Apostolos Tsitsipas (Image via We Are Tennis, Daily Express, X/The Tennis Letter)

Stefanos Tsitsipas said his relationship with his dad Apostolos Tsitsipas had become toxic when he was working as a coach in his team. Now, their relationship “has actually gotten better“; and for the Greek ace, his father still “remains dear and close” to him.

Last year during his opening-round defeat to Kei Nishikori in the Canadian Open, Tsitsipas yelled at his father and later parted ways with him as his coach. According to Tsitsipas, things were quite difficult when they split, adding that his father couldn’t accept that he wouldn’t be a part of his inner circle anymore. He told The Changeover Podcast:

It reached a point where tennis got too much in the way. And, as bad as it sounds, I think it became even toxic in a way because I felt like he was constantly hunting. It reached the point where he was hunting more than me and that’s where the pressure kicks in. That’s where I feel the toxicity of it all. Our relationship has actually gotten better over the last couple of months.

Since the end of the partnership, Tsitsipas worked with Greek Davis Cup captain Dimitris Chatzinikolaou. Last month he confirmed that he had added Novak Djokovic‘s former coach Goran Ivanisevic to his entourage.

Stefanos Tsitsipas makes his feelings known about his partnership with Goran Ivanisevic

Stefanos Tsitsipas was last seen in action at the French Open where he had reached the final. But this season, after moving past Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry, the 26-year-old lost to an unseeded Matteo Gigante in the third round. The 2023 Australian Open finalist, once a World No.3 player, has dropped to No.26 in the rankings after his defeat.

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Goran Ivanisevic (via X/The Tennis Letter/BBC)
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Goran Ivanisevic (via X/The Tennis Letter/BBC)

It’s the first time he is out of the top 20 since 2018. Tsitsipas will be aiming to improve his rankings under Goran Ivanisevic but he admitted that things won’t be easy for him and that it will take time to get back to where he was before.

I am not expecting this to be suddenly something that starts giving me titles from week one or week two. I’m focusing more on the long process of it, the whole journey of working with him, and my whole goal with that is to try and see improvements.

Stefanos Tsitsipas told The Changeover Podcast

Before joining Tsitsipas, Ivanisevic was on Elena Rybakina‘s team. But the partnership didn’t last for long as the Croatian coach left her team right after Rybakina’s Australian Open exit due to the Stefano Vukov saga.

Stefanos Tsitsipas calls Roger Federer the greatest of all time

Tsitsipas picked Roger Federer as the GOAT (greatest of all time) over 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic. According to the two-time Grand Slam finalist, the effect that the Swiss maestro has on tennis is the most important over stats.

Roger Federer (3)
Roger Federer (Image via We Are Tennis)

My GOAT would be Roger Federer. Obviously, he doesn’t have the most Grand Slam titles but, to me, it doesn’t matter.

Stefanos Tsitsipas said in a video at the Patrick Mouratoglou Tennis Academy

Federer retired at the Laver Cup in 2022, while Djokovic is still chasing his 25th Grand Slam title. At the French Open, the Serb lost to eventual runner-up Jannik Sinner in the semifinals.

Last year, Tsitsipas lifted his third Monte Carlo Masters title. This year, he ended his trophy drought in the Dubai Open by beating Felix Auger-Aliassime. But since then, he failed to progress to the semifinal of a tournament, including in Monte Carlo, where eventual runner-up Lorenzo Musetti beat him in the quarterfinals. Also since the Barcelona Open (reached the quarterfinals), Tsitsipas failed to win two back-to-back matches in the three tournaments he played.

Also read: Andy Murray Lays Down the Fundamentals for Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner to Achieve the Status of the ‘Big 3’