Tsitsipas slams father’s coaching approach, unclear about future
Greek tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas has expressed frustration over the coaching approach of his father, Apostolos Tsitsipas, after ejecting him from the stadium during his second-round match against Japan’s Kei Nishikori at the Canadian Open on Thursday.
“It has been a poor performance from my father and it’s not the first time,” Tsitsipas said of his parent after the game, his first after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. “I’m disappointed with him.
The 25-year-old, currently ranked 11th in the ATP rankings, has previously parted ways with his father as coach before rehiring him. The two have a history of on-court disputes.
“The most important thing is to have good direct feedback, the coach needs to listen. The player is the one holding the racquet,” Tsitsipas said.
“I have power here to some degree but it should be a collaborative effort on both sides, for me to develop my tennis.”
He did not make clear whether he would end his professional relationship with his father, his mentor since childhood.
While trailing 5-2 in the first set against Nishikori, Tsitsipas reacted to his father’s constant coaching from the sidelines by shouting expletives and ordering him out of the stadium. This outburst also resulted in a time violation warning from the umpire. Despite narrowing the gap to 5-4 after the outburst, Tsitsipas ultimately lost 6-4, 6-4.
Tsitsipas failed to leave a mark at the Olympics, where he was defeated by Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, the eventual gold medalist, in the quarterfinals.
