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Tsitsipas's Comeback Has a Cause. Will It Last?
๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ท Greece /Sports

Tsitsipas's Comeback Has a Cause. Will It Last?

From Kathimerini · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • Stefanos Tsitsipas's career has been heavily influenced by his father, Apostolos, who acted as his coach and manager, leading to immense success but also strained personal relationships.
  • A brief, tumultuous coaching stint with Goran Ivaniลกeviฤ‡, who publicly criticized Tsitsipas's fitness, ended with Ivaniลกeviฤ‡ suggesting only his father could coach him.
  • Tsitsipas has since reunited with his father as coach, but public arguments and a decline in his world ranking from a career-high of No. 3 to No. 85 suggest ongoing challenges.

Stefanos Tsitsipas's tennis journey has been a complex interplay of ambition, family dynamics, and professional coaching. From a young age, he was groomed as a top tennis prospect, largely driven by his father, Apostolos Tsitsipas. This paternal involvement, while propelling Stefanos to a career-high ranking of world No. 3 at 23 and amassing significant prize money, also blurred the lines between father-son and coach-player relationships, reportedly becoming a "business investment" with a focus on performance.

I have never seen a more unfit player in my life.

โ€” Goran Ivaniลกeviฤ‡Goran Ivaniลกeviฤ‡'s public criticism of Stefanos Tsitsipas's physical condition during their coaching partnership.

The strain of this dynamic became evident through public altercations and tense exchanges between father and son during matches. The family appeared divided, leading to a significant shift when Goran Ivaniลกeviฤ‡, former coach to Novak Djokovic, took over. Ivaniลกeviฤ‡'s tenure was marked by blunt criticism of Tsitsipas's physical condition, famously stating he had never seen a more unfit player. This public critique, intended by Ivaniลกeviฤ‡ to ignite Tsitsipas's ego, was viewed by others, like coach Patrick Mouratoglou, as detrimental rather than supportive.

He 'shredded' him instead of supporting him, that's not coaching.

โ€” Patrick MouratoglouCommentary on Goran Ivaniลกeviฤ‡'s coaching approach towards Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The partnership with Ivaniลกeviฤ‡ was short-lived, with the Croatian coach eventually suggesting that only Tsitsipas's father could effectively coach him. This prediction proved somewhat accurate as Apostolos Tsitsipas resumed his coaching role. However, the public disputes and on-court struggles have continued, with Stefanos Tsitsipas's ranking plummeting to world No. 85, raising questions about the sustainability of his comeback and the underlying issues affecting his performance.

The only one who can coach Tsitsipas is his father.

โ€” Goran Ivaniลกeviฤ‡Goran Ivaniลกeviฤ‡'s statement regarding Stefanos Tsitsipas's coaching situation after their collaboration ended.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathimerini in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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