Stefanos Tsitsipas Finally Breaks Silence on Relationship With Ex-Girlfriend Paula Badosa: “Made Me Feel Very Uncomfortable”

Stefanos Tsitsipas is now dating Kristen Thoms. He went public with their relationship in January this year through a vlog documenting his off-season trip to Namibia last year. Before dating Thoms, Tsitsipas, as the whole tennis world knows, was with Paula Badosa. They parted ways for good after a topsy-turvy romance in mid-2025.

Their relationship dominated headlines, as they didn’t shy away from sharing glimpses of their romance on and off the court. But the constant media attention affected Tsitsipas, so much so that it began to affect their relationship.

Tsitsipas has found “peace and tranquility” in not being with someone who does the same thing he does. During a press conference in Almaty, the Greek ace called himself a “creative person,” that he likes to “escape my world whenever I’m not in it“. He admitted that he found it tough to escape tennis when he was with a WTA player.

Now, that is not an excuse for why not to be with someone, because obviously when you love someone and you really care for someone, you will move mountains in order to be with them and spend time with them. But you do realize one thing that I personally felt is that it’s too much. There’s a lot of anxiety, there’s a lot of uncertainty, and my whole life almost duplicates around tennis, when in fact I want to be more in control of what I want to do in my life and how I want to live my life.

Stefanos Tsitsipas said

After their breakup, Tsitsipas’ mom, Julia Tsitsipas, said Thoms gave her son a “comfortable emotional life,” which he didn’t have with Badosa because of the pressure of their tennis careers. Julia also revealed that the constant media attention had gradually become a burden for Tsitsipas.

I feel like it keeps me calmer, it keeps my head clear, and it keeps my life more private. Having a private life for me is the most important thing. I was never a fan of being in the public eye, especially when I’m with someone. I’m a private person, and that made me feel very uncomfortable. I’ve never shared that with people before, but I don’t thrive in that environment. I like some things for myself. I prefer, and I believe that not everything needs to be shared with the world.

Stefanos Tsitsipas added

🗣️ Stefanos Tsitsipas opens up about dating a tennis pro "I have preferred a life where I’m with someone that is not in the same field as me. It keeps me calmer, it keeps my head clear. I was never a fan of being in the public eye. That made me feel very uncomfortable" https://t.co/5e6tLrR6B8

— BB Tennis (@BBTennis_tv) October 22, 2026

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa’s relationship timeline

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa began dating in May 2023. Tsitsipas liked how Badosa defeated Ons Jabeur in the second round of the Italian Open and texted her to congratulate her, and that’s how the whole romance started.

They made their relationship public through a shared social media profile. But about a year later, they split, before getting back together a few weeks later. They broke up for the final time after their exits in last year’s Wimbledon.

In June this year, Badosa criticized not only Tsitsipas but also his family, saying the breakup was harder because of the “toxic” environment she was in. In another press conference, she made it clear that she did not want to mention “those people again.”

Also in April this year, when Tsitsipas was asked in an interview who he would prefer dating between a tennis girlfriend and a non-tennis girlfriend, he chose the latter.

Badosa was last seen in action in the round of 32 of the Japan Women’s Open. She lost to Antonia Ruzic in three sets. Tsitsipas beat James Duckworth in the Almaty Open quarterfinal to schedule his next match against Nikoloz Basilashvili.

Both Badosa and Tsitsipas have played one final this season. The Spaniard lost the Iasi Open to Mayar Sherif, but Tsitsipas ended his title drought by beating Raphael Collignon at the Swiss Open Gstaad.

Also read: Carlos Alcaraz and Ex-Coach Juan Carlos Ferrero Are Set to Cross Paths Again at ATP Finals