Stefanos Tsitsipas Restarts Feud With Former Coach Goran Ivanisevic: “I Regret Certain Decisions”

Stefanos Tsitsipas parted ways with Goran Ivanisevic after Wimbledon last year.

Stefanos Tsitsipas Restarts Feud With Former Coach Goran Ivanisevic: “I Regret Certain Decisions”

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Goran Ivanisevic (via Punto de Break)

In Short
  • Stefanos Tsitsipas criticized former coach Goran Ivanisevic, implying that past playing success doesn't guarantee coaching effectiveness.
  • The partnership between Tsitsipas and Ivanisevic ended in frustration, with Ivanisevic publicly labeling Tsitsipas as "the most unprepared player" he had worked with.
  • Tsitsipas continues to seek the right coaching fit, while Ivanisevic now coaches rising talent Arthur Fils, aiming to prove his methods can succeed with different players.

The tennis world loves a good coaching split story, and the fallout between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Goran Ivanisevic has all the drama that fans would expect. What started as a promising partnership during the 2025 grass season ended in mutual frustration, public finger-pointing, and now, some thinly veiled criticism from the Greek star himself.

Tsitsipas recently stirred the pot again, making comments that many believe were aimed squarely at his former coach. The Greek said being a legendary player doesn’t automatically translate to being a top-tier coach, a sentiment that feels like a direct response to Ivanisevic’s scathing post-Wimbledon remarks about his preparation.

With Ivanisevic now coaching rising French talent Arthur Fils, the tension between the two has resurfaced, and fans are eating it up. Tsitsipas told The National:

I feel at home with my team; I feel like they fit perfectly where they are. And I feel like there’s no anxiety in my team. There was a period of anxiety. New faces and new members came in, and it created a lot of confusion instead of clarity. I regret certain decisions I made hastily based on my own past performance and things like that. What I’ve learned from this is that just because you’re a good tennis player, because you’ve played tennis well in your life, doesn’t mean you can be a good coach.

While he didn’t name Ivanisevic directly, his comments left little doubt about whom he meant. He emphasized the importance of team harmony, confidence, and a supportive environment, adding that just because someone was a great player doesn’t mean they’ll excel as a coach.

It’s hard not to read between the lines. Ivanisevic won Wimbledon in 2001 and was known for his booming serve and unpredictable emotions on court. But coaching requires a different skill set—patience, communication, and the ability to adapt to each player’s unique needs. Tsitsipas’s remarks suggest that Ivanisevic’s approach, which thrived with the ultra-disciplined Djokovic, created anxiety and confusion in his camp rather than the stability he was seeking.

The partnership that never found its rhythm

When Stefanos Tsitsipas brought Goran Ivanisevic into his corner ahead of the 2025 grass-court swing, it seemed like a smart move. Ivanisevic, after all, had just finished a wildly successful run with Novak Djokovic, helping the Serbian legend add multiple Grand Slam titles to his resume. The Croatian’s fiery personality and no-nonsense approach had worked wonders for Djokovic, so why not Tsitsipas?

Goran Ivanisevic, Stefanos Tsitsipas
Goran Ivanisevic, Stefanos Tsitsipas (Image via X/tHANOS Stathopoulos, Relevant Tennis)

But chemistry in coaching isn’t a one-size-fits-all equation. What works for one player can be disastrous for another, and it didn’t take long for cracks to show.

Tsitsipas withdrew from Wimbledon in the first round due to injury, and instead of rallying around his player, Ivanisevic went public with his frustrations. He called Tsitsipas “the most unprepared player” he’d ever worked with—a brutal assessment that sent shockwaves through the tennis community.

For Tsitsipas, who has cycled through multiple coaches in recent years in search of the right fit, it was another setback in what has been a turbulent stretch of his career. The Greek has always been talented enough to compete with the best, but finding the right support system has proven elusive.

What this means for both careers

For Stefanos Tsitsipas, the split and subsequent commentary reflect a player who’s still trying to figure out what works best for him. He’s immensely talented, with a game that can trouble anyone on his day, but the mental side of tennis has been his Achilles’ heel.

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

He needs a coach who understands that, who can build him up rather than tear him down. Whether his current setup can provide that remains to be seen.

As for Ivanisevic, his reputation isn’t exactly in tatters. He helped Djokovic dominate the sport for years, and that track record speaks volumes. But the Tsitsipas experiment showed that his methods don’t work for everyone.

Now, with Arthur Fils under his wing, Ivanisevic has a chance to prove he can succeed beyond Djokovic. Fils is young, hungry, and impressionable—perhaps a better match for Ivanisevic’s fiery style.

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