Stefanos Tsitsipas Reveals one Aspect of his Game he will Prioritize Under Goran Ivanisevic

Out early at the Roland Garros, Stefanos Tsitsipas will kickstart his grass season with the Halle Open.

Stefanos Tsitsipas Reveals one Aspect of his Game he will Prioritize Under Goran Ivanisevic

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

Since the last 12 months, Stefanos Tsitsipas has been struggling with consistency. Starting off the year in the top 10 ranking, the 26-year-old has dipped to World No. 26 now. Last year, he eventually parted ways with his father Apostolos Tsitsipas as his coach. He has often described his relationship with his father as toxic.

Following his second-round exit at Roland Garros at the end of May, the announcement of Goran Ivanisevic as his new coach was made. The former World No. 2 has coached the likes of Marin Cilic and Novak Djokovic. Ahead of the Halle Open, Tsitsipas spoke to Tennis Channel DE about what he’s already enjoying about the early days of working with the former Wimbledon champion:

We have already started working together and I am learning a lot every day. Well, I think it’s fair to say that Goran is one of the best servers of all time. So I think the serve is definitely one of the priorities. He also has a wealth of experience in his career, both as a coach and as a player. That’s why I try to learn as much as possible from him.

Tsitsipas has only had one of his 12 ATP singles tournament victories on grass, in Mallorca in 2022. But with Ivanisevic, who reached three other finals at Wimbledon in addition to his triumph, the Greek tennis star is now in an ideal position to take his Wimbledon preparation up a notch.

Tsitsipas will be participating for the fifth time in Halle, where he is unseeded. He will face Luciano Darderi in the opening round of the ATP 500 tournament.

Stefanos Tsitsipas speaks about his love for apfelschorle

Upon arriving in Germany, Stefanos Tsitsipas was particularly looking forward to Apfelschorle, a German beverage consisting of carbonated mineral water and apple juice. He jovially spoke about it to Tennis Channel DE:

That’s the first thing I do when I come back here.

Stefanos Tsitsipas
Stefanos Tsitsipas (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)

But Tsitsipas is just as thrilled to see the German fans in Halle, whom he admires above all for their passion. It is worth noting that, be it any sport, a sporting atmosphere created by Germans remain unmatched.

Stefanos Tsitsipas picks his Tennis GOAT

In a video shared by the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy, Stefanos Tsitsipas picked Roger Federer as his GOAT. His choice stands out, especially when compared to Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, who are also part of the GOAT debate.

While in the men’s history, Djokovic leads in Grand Slam titles with 24 titles, and Federer is in third place with 20, Tsitsipas believes that greatness involves more than just trophies. To him, what matters is the effect that Federer has had not just on the world of tennis, but in global sports.

Serena Williams, Roger Federer, and Stefanos Tsitsipas (via X/Olley Tennis/Swiss Tennis)
Serena Williams, Roger Federer, and Stefanos Tsitsipas (via X/Olley Tennis/Swiss Tennis)

Tsitsipas compared Federer to basketball legend Michael Jordan. He also expressed feeling lucky to have had the opportunity to share the tennis court with him. The two have met four times on court and both have 2 wins against each other.

Interestingly, Federer had defeated Tsitsipas in Dubai in 2019 to clinch his 100th career title. Tsitsipas won this tournament for the first time six years later in 2025. On the women’s side, Tsitsipas chose 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams as the GOAT.

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