Tennis | Stefanos Tsitsipas parts ways with Goran Ivanisevic; to re-unite with father Apostolos

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Jul 24, 2025, 19:31 IST

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In a surprising turn of events, Stefanos Tsitsipas has ended his collaboration with coach Goran Ivanisevic following a series of disappointing performances and some public criticism. The Greek star is now making a comeback with his father, Apostolos, as his ranking has slipped to 29th in the world.

Tennis | Stefanos Tsitsipas parts ways with Goran Ivanisevic; to re-unite with father Apostolos

Stsefanos Tsitsipas in practice session (in black) as Goran Ivanisevic (R) watches on. (Getty Images)

Former World No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas has ended his brief coaching partnership with Goran Ivanisevic after just two tournaments. The Greek tennis star, now ranked 29th globally, is returning to work with his father Apostolos following poor results and public criticism from the Croatian about his fitness levels.Tsitsipas confirmed the split through a statement, saying, "Working with Goran Ivanišević was a brief but intense experience and a truly valuable chapter in my journey."Ivanišević, who previously coached Novak Djokovic, told The Athletic that the split was amicable. He supported Tsitsipas's decision to return to his father, noting, "He had his best results with his father, his father knows him the best so I agree that is the right decision."Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Their partnership started during the French Open but quickly soured. Under Ivanišević, Tsitsipas won only one match at the Halle Open before losing to Luciano Darderi. He then retired with a back injury in the first round of Wimbledon against Valentin Royer.
The relationship became strained when Ivanišević publicly criticised Tsitsipas's fitness. "I was shocked. I have never seen a more unprepared player in my life. With this knee, I am three times more fit than him. This is really bad," the Croatian coach told SportKlub.

Tsitsipas later hinted at his dissatisfaction, telling Sdna, "It is very difficult to have dictators and people who speak negatively and you don't feel like they are close to you like family."The 26-year-old has struggled to maintain his form over the past year. He removed his father from his coaching team last August after losing to Kei Nishikori, then ranked 576th. He's also made equipment changes and tried new tactics but continues to struggle against the evolving playing styles of younger stars like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.Tsitsipas's ranking has dropped out of the top 20 for the first time since 2018.

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