Stefanos Tsitsipas Loses Cool at Umpire and Calls Father Apostolos ‘Piece of Sh*t’ During Tough Madrid Open Match

Stefanos Tsitsipas will be playing against Alexander Bublik for the third time in his career.

Stefanos Tsitsipas Loses Cool at Umpire and Calls Father Apostolos ‘Piece of Sh*t’ During Tough Madrid Open Match

Stefanos Tsitsipas yelled at his father Apostolos Tsitsipas during the Madrid Open (Image via CLAY, Daily Express, X/Tiempo De Tenis)

In Short
  • Stefanos Tsitsipas won a tense match against Patrick Kypson at the Madrid Open after coming back from a set down.
  • Tsitsipas lost his temper during the match, insulting his father and coach, Apostolos Tsitsipas, after receiving code violations.
  • The victory marked Tsitsipas's first win since hiring his father as coach again, following a split with Goran Ivanisevic.

After two consecutive opening-round exits, Stefanos Tsitsipas finally registered a win. In the ongoing Madrid Open, Tsitsipas came from a set down to secure a 3-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(4) victory over Patrick Kypson.

The match was filled with drama because Tsitsipas received a couple of code violations for talking to his coach and father, Apostolos Tsitsipas. Umpire Marijana Veljovic eventually handed him a point penalty in the third set, and this saw the Greek ace lose his complete cool.

Tsitsipas argued whether talking to his father between points bothered his opponent. Veljovic said that although it might not bother Kypson, talking between points is against the rules. Tsitsipas, at the end, could do nothing but continue to play, but not before exploding at Apostolos.

Tsitsipas, who has a difficult relationship with his father, yelled these insults at him in Greek: “B*stard, you piece of sh*t”, “Go f*** yourself, imbecile”, “F*** off”, and “stupid”.

Watch the video here:

Tsitsipas clinched that win in two hours and 41 minutes. He will be hoping to make a deep run in the tournament for the first time since 2023.

I really needed that win. It gives me confidence. I’ve been trying a lot to improve different areas of my game, but when you’re not getting wins, it’s hard to build trust and belief in yourself.

Stefanos Tsitsipas said after the match

Tsitsipas hired his father as his coach again after his split with Goran Ivanisevic. He ended his professional relationship with Apostolos after his 2024 Canadian Open exit and hired Ivanisevic before the grass swing last year.

But they split after Wimbledon due to poor results and Ivanisevic’s public criticism of his fitness. Tsitsipas recently said in an interview that Ivanisevic “kicked him” when he was “already down”.

Stefanos Tsitsipas analyzes his match against Patrick Kypson

Before this tournament, Stefanos Tsitsipas had never played against Patrick Kypson. At the press conference after his win, Tsitsipas called the American ace a creative player and talked about his qualities.

Stefanos Tsitsipas 1
Stefanos Tsitsipas (Image via X/ESPN)

It was a bit unpleasant to start the match that way. I was struggling with very exhausting and sometimes abrupt conditions. I didn’t know much about him, so I felt a little out of place with his style of play. Obviously, my coach tries to watch certain videos and gather data to understand his game style, but it’s very different to see it on TV than to experience it on the court. It’s always difficult to play against opponents like that because I don’t know how they construct their points.

Kypson secured a spot in the main draw of the Madrid Open as a lucky loser. He has not yet won a tour-level singles title in his career.

The reality is that he is a player who fights hard for his points. He can definitely fight. That was the most remarkable thing I felt from him today in the match. He was fighting very well in certain points. He didn’t give me much time to attack or build my own points from the serve, and I think he did a good job with drop shots.

Stefanos Tsitsipas added

Tsitsipas, on the other hand, is chasing his first title since winning last year’s Dubai Tennis Championships by defeating Felix Auger-Aliassime. The 27-year-old, a former World No. 3, now stands at 80th in the rankings table due to his poor performances.

Tsitsipas will next be locking horns with eighth-seeded Alexander Bublik, who will start his campaign in the tournament against him. Bublik trails 0-2 in the head-to-head matchups against the two-time Grand Slam finalist.

Also read: Jannik Sinner Lavishly Praises the In-Form Arthur Fils Ahead of Madrid Open: “We Have to Keep an Eye on Him”