Tsitsipas separates from his father: "This time is forever, I seek something completely different"

Stefanos Tsitsipas has said enough. The Greek, before his debut at Wimbledon 2026, announced that his father Apostolos is no longer his coach, and this time it is definitive. There will be no second chances. Additionally, he confirmed that Thomas Perrin from the Patrick Mouratoglou academy will be on his team, and the Frenchman will also supervise him.

"It will take him some time to accept it, as it happened the last time we parted ways. On that occasion, I left a small window open. Now, I believe he has a lot to offer to others, but to me, I think he has already given me all he could," Tsitsipas announced in statements collected by Clay Tennis.

Stefanos Tsitsipas explains the reasons for professionally parting ways with his father

The Greek, after a year of continuously dropping in the ATP rankings and dangerously approaching the Top 100 barrier, currently being world number 88, understands the need for a change in direction. "Lately, I felt that having my father by my side was comfortable, but it wasn't the solution to take the next steps and do something different in my career. Of course, I love him very much and wish him the best, but right now, I am thinking about myself and what is best for me."

This separation comes after numerous clashes between them, both on and off the court. Even his mother, Julia Salnikova, a former tennis player, was also present in his box in recent tournaments. "As I grow older, I feel that it is much more difficult for me to maintain a stable relationship with my father in a training context. I feel that we have come to a point where I am looking for something completely different. I felt it in the everyday energy of our collaboration."

Stefanos Tsitsipas splits with his father as his coach… and this time, he believes it’s permanent.

He will be working with Thomas Perrin from Patrick Mouratoglou’s academy, and will also be under the supervision of Patrick Mouratoglou.

“The older I get, the more difficult… pic.twitter.com/cB0tUIVKhL

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) June 28, 2026

This is not the first time the Greek has decided to part ways with his father. It already happened in 2023, and the tennis player stated that he regretted that decision, but now there is no turning back: "It's challenging because we have spent many years together on the circuit, but talking about it now, I believe we will not work together again in the future. I want to start making my own decisions and decide for myself. I have other things in mind that I don't believe align with how we have recently worked together."

But he knows that this decision will be hard for his father to accept: "It wouldn't be easy for any parent to accept it, but especially for him. It wouldn't be straightforward for any parent to have worked so many years with their son and suddenly come to a final point," concludes a Stefanos Tsitsipas who urgently needs a change of direction in his tennis if he does not want to drop out of the Top 100. His first step will be at Wimbledon, but now without his father Apostolos.
 

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Tsitsipas se separa de su padre: "Esta vez es para siempre, busco algo completamente diferente"