Stefanos Tsitsipas and Goran Ivanisevic’s ill-fated coaching partnership only lasted two months between May and July of 2025.
The Croatian failed to turn Tsitsipas’s miserable form around and the pair went their separate ways following the Greek star’s first round Wimbledon exit.
Ivanisevic was far from positive about Tsitsipas following their split, criticising his game and questioning his preparation ahead of Wimbledon.
Tsitsipas returned to working with his father following the split with Ivanisevic and he’s finally reacted to the iconic tennis coach’s brutal words.
Stefanos Tsitsipas says he was ‘really hurt’ by Goran Ivanisevic’s comments
Tsitsipas is yet to find the form that saw him reach world number three in the ATP Tour rankings back in 2021, although he has been far better in 2026 than he was last year.
Asked by The Times for his opinion about Ivanisevic’s comments following the split, Tsitsipas responded: “I didn’t see any point in it.
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“If it was a way of him pushing me into working harder and getting my s— together, it was definitely not the right tactic. I was really hurt.
“I never expected that a coach could do that to me, and the worst thing is what he said was not true. I was not fit because I had been injured.
“I hadn’t been practising properly for over two weeks. It was like he kicked me when I was already down.”
Ivanisevic has since gone on to work with Arthur Fils, who has recently returned to the ATP Tour following seven months out with a back injury.
The Frenchman has already reached the final of the Qatar Open and the semi-finals of the Miami Open under Ivanisevic.
Goran Ivanisevic doubled down on his comments about Tsitsipas
Although we are approaching a year since Tsitsipas and Ivanisevic began working together, their frosty partnership is still under the microscope.
Just days ago, Ivanisevic doubled down on his comments about the Greek star, which many fans and pundits have called harsh.
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Speaking to Sportklub, he said: “I knew after the second day of training [that it would not succeed]. When he came to Zagreb to try rackets, I understood that it wouldn’t work out.
In the end, I didn’t say anything bad; everything I stated was true and proved to be so. After Wimbledon, I advised him to take four months off because it wasn’t just a physical issue but also mental.
“He remains a phenomenal player, he was and still is, but those are just details. In today’s tennis, you can’t compete without being mentally prepared.”
Tsitsipas currently sits at world number 47 in the rankings ahead of the Monte-Carlo Masters, although he will be boosted by his recent form at the competition.
He’s won the tournament three times and most recently reached the quarter-finals in 2025, despite his wobbly form.
