Tsitsipas confesses: "I have been too comfortable in certain things for too long"
The Greek was very strict when talking about his relationship with his father and emphasized again that he should have cut ties with him much earlier.
Stefanos Tsitsipas has been returning to his roots in recent weeks. The Greek has been one of the protagonists of the tennis summer after savoring the sweetness of an ATP title, making a comeback in Gstaad and giving himself a much-needed confidence boost after a year in which he fell beyond the top-80. His journey doesn't stop there: a quick flight to Canada and down to the mud of the qualifying round, a strange and uncharacteristic feeling for someone who has graced several Grand Slam finals.
The sacrifice and work ethic seem undeniable. Stefanos didn’t shy away from the challenge, solving his only commitment in the qualy with great determination and also overcoming his first match in the main draw of the ATP Montréal 2026 today. He did so against Martin Damm Jr, in a duel that marks a continuity line, as a Stef who seems to have renewed enthusiasm and vigor translates into his speed, ball weight, and consistency from the back of the court.
That said, the road back to the absolute elite is still quite long... and the Greek travels it with new companions. His professional relationship with his father is now in the past, a Apostolos Tsitsipas whom we no longer see on the big stages. Now it is Thomas Perrin, coach at the Mouratoglou Academy, who has taken the helm of a ship that is once again arriving firmly at significant ports... and the change, as Stefanos himself points out, should have happened much earlier.
Tsitsipas and revealing statements about his relationship with his father
After starting his journey in the main draw of the Canadian tournament with a victory, the Athenian spoke to Ubitennis and was quite candid regarding the current situation of his team. Is he finally at peace with the decision made? Is he in the best hands? Judging by his statements, he even wishes he had made this decision earlier.
"I am in a chapter of my career that I should have started a long time ago. I think I was too patient with the time I had, that I got too comfortable with the way I dealt with various aspects of my career, and that made me take too long to make this change. But well, that’s how life works: there are things that come at their due time.
I have a philosophy very close to Buddhism in this sense. Now we are here, doing things the way I like, the way I want them to be. I want to work with a coach I am happy with. Thomas (Perrin) is someone I trust, and I know Patrick (Mouratoglou) supervises him as well. They are people who have been with me from day one, people from the Academy who believe in me, who want the best from me. This is the most important thing: you must surround yourself with people you know would go to war for you."
Tsitsipas pointed to Shelton's father as the perfect example of a good professional relationship between father and son
The dynamics of a professional relationship between father and son can become quite complicated. Stefanos knows this firsthand, having experienced a constant up and down, which he now views differently, with some distance. Can a tandem between father and son work in a competitive sport like tennis? Tsitsipas highlights Zverev and Shelton as examples of it being possible, that it’s not impossible... and it’s even surprising how much admiration he has for Bryan, Ben’s father, and the relationship he has with his pupil.
"The father-son relationship is quite heavy. It can work for some, like for example for Zverev or Shelton. Sometimes I look at Ben’s father and feel that he is the perfect example of how a father should behave with a son playing tennis at the highest level. He is the perfect example. I see him and sometimes wish things could also be that way for me, but unfortunately, they are not. I am a big fan of Shelton and how his dynamic with his father works. I see him as a great example." Who knows if one day Stefanos will reach that tranquility in his relationship with his father... for now, though, he has just started a chapter in which his father is not part of the equation. We will see where it takes him.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Tsitsipas confiesa: "He estado acomodado en ciertas cosas durante demasiado tiempo"