Tsitsipas: "I have never worked with someone as determined as my father"

Despite not having wanted it, inevitably, Stefanos Tsitsipas was one of the main protagonists in the tennis world last July, even though he hadn't played since Wimbledon. The Greek player showed his great ambition by including Goran Ivanisevic as his new coach, but this relationship didn't last long.

With a war of statements involved, it became clear that Stefanos wanted to distance himself from the Croatian coach after a warning regarding sacrifice and physical condition, words for which Goran did not regret even after they stopped working together. Once the storm passed, and after seeing some light at the end of the tunnel for the Greek by winning a match at ATP Cincinnati 2025, he spoke about his situation himself.

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In just two sets, Stefanos defeated Fabian Marozsan with a score of 7-6(3) and 6-2. "It all came down to thinking well on the returns. I feel like they weren't too good at the start of the match. I say this because he was running away with a lot of 40-0s. My main goal was to get as many returns in as I could, try to make him play," said the Greek player in statements after the match to Tennis Channel.

"I felt very confident in my serve, honestly, so I knew that if I could maintain that stability and keep going with my serving games, everything would go well. The moment I started making good returns, I was able to dictate the rhythm in the match. Primarily that helped me take the first set. Psychologically, I also took a step forward."

Return to his roots: the role of Tsitsipas's father

"It's great to have him back on the team. It's one of those things that no one can surpass. We've worked together for many years, have very good memories together. It's also true that the father-son relationship can be somewhat complicated at times, I don't deny that. We've had better and worse times, poor communication in some aspects, but we're not perfect.

I've opened up to him like never before, we're working on that. I've never been so transparent with him before. It was important for me to start developing that habit, to be a better communicator. These are important things. He's a great person and he's the one who has shaped me not only as a tennis player but as a person. I owe him a lot. I want to build something special, something memorable and lasting in my career."

Tough training to improve feelings on the court

"We spent like three or four days in Toronto training after my tournament defeat, something that's not typical. We connected a lot, moments where we could focus on what to improve. My father's dedication and determination... I've never worked with anyone with as much determination as my father and capable of putting in so many hours on the court to achieve the right result. That inspires me, teaches me that he would do anything for me to achieve the best version.

We haven't spent too much time together on the court in this past year, he has only played the role of father, and honestly, I've missed him. The more time I spend on the court, the more I realize that this is what I needed for a long time."

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Tsitsipas: "Nunca he trabajado con alguien con tanta determinación como mi padre"