Tsitsipas, about the breakup with his father: "I feel a great relief"

Diego Jiménez Rubio | 2 Jul 2026 | 00.12

Stefanos Tsitsipas speaks after losing to Djokovic at Wimbledon. Photo: gettyimages

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Stefanos Tsitsipas put an end to his participation in Wimbledon 2026 after a clear defeat against Novak Djokovic. The Greek once again discussed his professional split with Apostolos Tsitsipas and admitted that he is still far from the level he aims to reach to compete for the most important titles.

After the match, Stefanos Tsitsipas held a very revealing press conference at Wimbledon 2026 where he analyzed the superiority displayed by Novak Djokovic, talked about the significant change that separating his professional path from his father has entailed, praised the work of his new coach, Thomas Perrin, and conveyed an optimistic message about the future: he remains convinced that he will return to contend for major finals.

Stefanos Tsitsipas analyzes his defeat against Novak Djokovic and explains his new professional stage

Tsitsipas acknowledges Djokovic's superiority

The Greek admitted that the Serbian once again showed why he remains one of the great figures on the circuit, although he preferred to focus on everything he needs to improve.

"It's a magical place. I love playing on Centre Court. It's one of the most exciting experiences a tennis player can have. I'm simply not satisfied with the result. I want more, I want something better, and I hope to return soon to work and learn from this defeat.

Novak played well, as he always does. I have great respect for Djokovic. He has achieved everything he has thanks to his abilities on the court. Now it's time for me to focus on my own tennis and make the most of my strengths. I want to maximize my game to face the upcoming months with much more ambitious goals."

Asked if he felt that there is currently a greater difference between them than in the past, Tsitsipas was honest. "Yes, it's true. I felt it during the match. I could see it and I could feel it. I just hope that next time things will be different."

Stefanos is not satisfied with having a good attitude

A journalist asked him about his attitude during the match, a matter on which Tsitsipas wanted to clarify his understanding of competition. "I don't step onto the court with the priority of having a good attitude. I step out to win matches and dominate the court. I don't know what else to say. My concern is never to show a good attitude, but to do everything possible to dominate the match and win.

I think my attitude was good. If I compare it to the match I played here a few years ago against Kyrgios, it was undoubtedly much better. But it's not enough. What I need now is to elevate my level of tennis."

Tsitsipas showers praise on his new coach, Thomas Perrin

The Greek also extensively talked about Thomas Perrin, the coach with whom he has embarked on a new stage after the end of the historic professional relationship with his father. "Thomas is a fantastic person to have by my side. We have a very good relationship, and I am very happy to have found a coach like him.

It is not always easy to find someone who truly fits with you, but over these past weeks, we have worked a lot. He is a very determined person, and that is exactly what I was looking for. He has a huge ambition for success, and that is the most important thing for me. When I see someone with ambition, determination, and a very clear mind, someone who lives and breathes tennis all day long, not only for me but also for himself, I know I have found the right person to help me achieve my dreams and reach my goals."

What breaking with his father, Apostolos, meant for Tsitsipas

One of the most outstanding moments of the appearance came when he was asked about the emotional impact of definitively breaking the professional relationship with his father. Far from describing a traumatic process, Tsitsipas stated that the decision has allowed him to regain peace of mind.

"It has not been a difficult psychological period at all. In fact, it has been quite the opposite. I feel a great relief from the decision I made and sincerely believe that everything is happening for the better. I am completely focused on my goals and look to the future with a lot of enthusiasm.

I simply enjoy the tranquility and also the responsibility that this decision entails because it is something I had never really lived with before. I think it is doing me a lot of good. I am convinced that it will bring me very positive things and that it will be a beneficial decision for my future."

Tsitsipas believes he can return to competing for major titles

Despite the defeat and the challenging past few months, the former number three in the world has no doubt that he can still return to the elite level of the circuit. "I wouldn't continue playing tennis if I didn't believe I could return to contesting major finals. If I didn't truly believe it, I would have stopped playing yesterday."

The loss against Novak Djokovic marks a new setback for Stefanos Tsitsipas in Wimbledon 2026, but his feelings seem very different from those of months ago. The Greek conveys calmness, claims to feel liberated after the changes made in his team, and maintains unwavering conviction that he still has enough tennis to compete for the most important titles on the circuit.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Tsitsipas, sobre la ruptura con su padre: "Siento un gran alivio"

Stefanos Tsitsipas