Goran Ivanisevic wasn’t backing down from his harsh words about Stefanos Tsitsipas. The former Wimbledon champion made that crystal clear in a recent interview.
The whole thing started when Ivanisevic began coaching Tsitsipas after the French Open last year. People were pretty excited about it – a Grand Slam winner working with one of tennis’s rising stars.
But it didn’t last long.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stefanos Tsitsipas | 27 | 3,740 | 28 - 10 |
After less than two months together, Tsitsipas announced they’d parted ways. His statement was polite enough, thanking Ivanisevic and wishing him well.
The Real Story Behind the Split
That’s not the whole story though. Tsitsipas made some pretty pointed comments afterward about not wanting to work with dictators and preferring a friendly team atmosphere.
Those remarks seemed aimed directly at Ivanisevic.
They were probably a response to what happened a few weeks earlier. Ivanisevic had absolutely blasted Tsitsipas in public, saying he wasn’t preparing properly and criticizing his fitness. The 53-year-old didn’t hold back, basically saying Tsitsipas talked about wanting to improve but never backed it up with action.
A lot of people thought Ivanisevic went way too far with those comments.
But he’s not apologizing for anything.
"I didn’t insult him," Ivanisevic told Croatia’s HRT. "I told him all that, it’s not like I said it behind his back. Now it turns out that you’re not even allowed to say anything anymore."
"Unfortunately, that’s how it is, everyone sees it. He feels it himself, and he knows it. If you’re not physically or mentally ready, especially mentally, to play a few hours with the best, then you have no chance."
Back to Family
Tsitsipas is now working with his father again. That’s probably familiar territory for him – he’d been coached by his dad for years before bringing in Ivanisevic.
Interestingly, Ivanisevic thinks that’s actually the right move.
"He decided to try again with his dad," he said. "I honestly, most sincerely mean this: The only person who can coach him is his dad. He played the best tennis with him."
"He knows him best, it’s a family project. It’s the best decision. I wish him all the best, he’s too good a player to be where he is."
But Ivanisevic had one final piece of advice for the Greek player.
"Yesterday, I told him that nothing will change if he doesn’t sort out some things in his head himself."
Tsitsipas’s Struggles
Despite his cutting remarks, it seems like Ivanisevic genuinely wants Tsitsipas to succeed. And frankly, the former world No. 2 might have a point about the mental side of things.
Tsitsipas admitted to struggling with anxiety before retiring from his first-round match at Wimbledon last year. That’s pretty telling for a player of his caliber.
His personal life hasn’t been smooth sailing either. Reports suggest he and Paula Badosa have split up for the second time. Neither player has officially confirmed it, but they withdrew from the US Open mixed doubles, which pretty much tells the story.
This wasn’t Ivanisevic’s first coaching relationship to end abruptly either. His time with Elena Rybakina lasted just a few months before she decided to go back to her former coach.
Before that though, he had nearly five successful years with Novak Djokovic. So he knows what it takes to work with top players.
The question now is whether Tsitsipas can figure out those mental challenges Ivanisevic was talking about. At 26, he’s still got plenty of time to reach his potential – if he can get his head in the right place.
