After alluding to it following his defeat to Kei Nishikori at the 2024 Canadian Open, Stefanos Tsitsipas has officially announced that his father will no longer be his coach. The relationship between Stefanos and Apostolos Tsitsipas as a player-coach duo has been strained for some time. The most telling sign of this was his decline in performance. He is not a poor player, nor has he forgotten how to play tennis, but it is evident that there has been a great deal of confusion regarding his playing style. As time went on, the disconnect between them worsened and his level of play continued to decline. While their relationship was not always as strained as it is now, things change, people grow, and it became clear that this partnership was no longer effective.
Following his loss to Nishikori, Tsitsipas openly expressed his dissatisfaction with the behavior of ‘his coach.’ Although he did not explicitly state that he was parting ways with his father as his coach, it was heavily implied as a possibility. He appeared to be a person who had reached his breaking point, and his announcement confirms that he has indeed had enough. After years of suggestions from various individuals that he should seek a new coach, Tsitsipas has finally come to the same conclusion.
The announcement was made in Greek on social media, where Tsitsipas informed everyone that he would be removing his father from the coaching position and solely maintaining their relationship as father and son. This was a deeply personal statement by Tsitsipas, who has always held his father in high regard. He has spoken on numerous occasions about the sacrifices his father has made for him, and this announcement clearly reflects his appreciation for his father’s role in his life.
“It is with great sadness that I inform you that my collaboration with my father as a coach has come to an end. I have chosen to keep my father solely in his role as a father and not as my coach.”
“My father will continue to accompany me on my travels and provide support and assistance off the court, as I have always desired.”
The announcement also states that Tsitsipas is uncertain about who will fill his father’s coaching position. This is not a decision he will make immediately, but for the time being, his father will continue to travel with him and offer support. Some may question this decision, as a clean break may have been the best course of action for the Greek player. However, this was not an easy decision for Tsitsipas to make.
“I have placed my trust in my father as my coach for many years, and I consider our partnership to have been successful. I am unsure of who will take his place, and I am not yet in a position to make that decision.”
“What I do know is that it is time to bring this chapter and phase to a close and embark on a new one. We have both agreed to this and hope to prioritize our personal connection before anything else.”
Photo from Tsitsipas Instagram
