Stefanos Tsitsipas hasn’t had the easiest time on court this season. He snagged one trophy in Dubai but just couldn’t string wins together. He decided he needed a shake-up and welcomed Goran Ivanisevic onto his team. The big announcement came at the end of May, right after Tsitsipas’ second-round exit at Roland Garros. With the famed ex-coach of Novak Djokovic in his corner, hopes skyrocketed for Wimbledon. But, disaster struck—a first-round injury sidelined Tsitsipas, and Goran was not impressed.

On July 3, just after Tsitsipas’ Wimbledon woes, Ivanisevic didn’t mince words when speaking to Serbian media Sportklub. He couldn’t believe his eyes. “I was in shock, I’ve never seen a player so unprepared in my life. With my knee, I’m three times fitter than him. It’s really terrible,” he said. That jab landed hard. Former world No.8 Marcos Baghdatis couldn’t just shrug it off.

The charismatic Cypriot opened up to Ubitennis on July 12, and he didn’t sugarcoat his feelings about Goran’s words. Baghdatis gets the frustration, but he’s blunt: “I’m not saying that what Goran said in that interview is wrong. I’m 99% sure he’s right, because I know Goran. I know he’s a great guy, he says it like it is and like he sees it. But personally, if I were a coach, I wouldn’t say that in the media,” he said.

For anyone who needs a reminder—Baghdatis was young Stefanos’s idol and a true tennis showman. He soared as high as world No.8 and made an epic run to the 2006 Australian Open final. He pocketed four ATP crowns, played in ten more finals, and now at 40, is dazzling crowds at the Wimbledon legends event with his trademark flair.

While at the All England Club, Baghdatis offered his insights on Stefanos Tsitsipas’s recent struggles. Stefanos hasn’t managed two wins in a row since the Barcelona Open in April. Then came that abrupt withdrawal from Wimbledon. Baghdatis thinks these are problems to address in private, not in headlines. He said it plainly: “I would say it to the team and I would say it to Stefanos himself. Then, if he doesn’t want to listen, I would distance myself and that’s it.”

Most pros know the art of staying diplomatic in press conferences. Stefanos Tsitsipas, after all, has had a complicated relationship with the media for years. He’s even said he prefers to lay low from his phone. “I don’t really follow social media, except YouTube, which is my main source of TV and entertainment. I get a lot of criticism on social media.” With Goran’s harsh critique out in the open, things could get even hotter for the Greek star.

So Baghdatis has one hope for Stefanos: “I hope the way Goran has handled things will help Stefanos and shock him enough to come back. What I want is for Stefanos to get back to where he belongs and find his love for the game again.” But was that the case?

Stefanos Tsitsipas’ coach reveals the Greek’s reaction

The backlash wasn’t just from former players—renowned coach Patrick Mouratoglou also weighed in with blunt disapproval. Feeling the heat, Goran addressed the controversy in Croatian sports outlet Gol. “Well, it hit him a little bit because every tennis player, an athlete, when their ego gets a little worked up, they don’t like that criticism. I mean, I told him anyway, tennis is an individual sport. To play on the court, you have to be physically and mentally ready.” Goran’s trademark honesty was impossible to miss.

Recent months have been tough for Stefanos Tsitsipas, who’s now ranked world No. 27 after struggling to find his groove for a year. At Wimbledon, the Greek star had to retire hurt in the opening round against Valentin Royer—down 6-3, 6-2—his chronic back issue flaring up yet again. The discomfort has followed him ever since the Nitto ATP Finals in 2023, and fans have watched him play at less than full throttle way too often.

Goran held nothing back about his player’s readiness: “He wasn’t mentally or physically ready at Wimbledon. Back problems, a million problems. So it’s a long way, there’s no magic wand, there’s no magic trick, you have to work.” Still, Tsitsipas has shown what he’s capable of—his legendary 2019 ATP Finals triumph, a streak of Monte-Carlo Masters glory in 2021, 2022 and 2024, and two unforgettable runs to Grand Slam finals. The grit is there, the talent unquestioned. Now, all that’s missing is the comeback.

After Wimbledon, Stefanos Tsitsipas admitted he needed answers for his back pain, but still battled on at the Hopman Cup, facing Roberto Bautista Agut and Felix Auger-Aliassime—and falling to both. The question now is: can the Greek rebound from another setback and recapture that spark? Share your thoughts in the comments below!