‘Get him out of there!’ – Demands Australian Open icon on Stefanos Tsitsipas’ father
Mats Wilander has called for Apostolos Tsitsipas to stop interfering with Stefanos’ matches once and for all after the father-son duo created more coaching controversy at the Australian Open.
During his fourth round match with Taylor Fritz, Tsitsipas was given a code violation warning for coaching after the chair umpire spotted the Greek’s father giving pointers from the stands.
Tsitsipas also received a code violation for coaching in his third round match with Benoit Paire, and is perhaps the ATP pro that receives the most such violations during the season.
Now, seven-time Major winner Wilander has asserted that Apostolos ought to step back and allow Stefanos to find his own way on the court.
“At some point his father needs to get out of there,” Wilander said on Eurosport.
“Let Stefanos [Tsitsipas] figure things out himself.
“You can have a proper go through the match beforehand and afterwards, but Stefanos can solve the problems [during play].
“The situation [with the umpire] happens and then in the fifth set Tsitsipas wins it 6-4. He plays a brilliant set, maybe the best set in the whole match.”
Tennis traditionally and famously insists that players not receive coaching during matches, something that figures within the sport often point to as one of the most beautiful aspects of tennis, the need to find your own solutions to problems in competition.
However, Stefanos Tsitsipas has previously put forward his belief that coaching should be permitted in tennis, tweeting on the subject in July 2021 immediately before the Tokyo Olympics.
“The sport needs to embrace it,” the Greek claimed.
“We’re probably one of the only global sports that doesn’t use coaching during play.”
Coaching on every point should be allowed in tennis. The sport needs to embrace it. We’re probably one of the only global sports that doesn’t use coaching during the play. Make it legal. It’s about time the sport takes a big step forward.
— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@steftsitsipas) July 18, 2021
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