Stefanos Tsitsipas began 2025 with hopes to “reinvent” himself, but the road has been rough. Early exits and criticism piled up for months. A brief win in February at the Dubai Tennis Championships against Felix Auger-Aliassime offered a glimmer of hope, but struggles soon returned. After a surprising early French Open exit, Tsitsipas added Goran Ivanisevic to his team. Now, the big question: how does the legendary coach see the Greek’s current form?

On May 30, Stefanos made a bold move to revive his career, hiring Goran Ivanisevic—the Wimbledon legend and Novak Djokovic’s former coach—to bring fresh energy and experience. But Goran was frank about Stefanos’s state: “Right now I can’t say that he is in his best tennis and physical condition. He is a player who should be among the top five in the world, in terms of potential, results and everything else.” And it’s true.

Tsitsipas burst onto the tennis scene with flair, turning pro in 2016 and quickly climbing to a career-high World No. 3 by August 2021. He’s worked with many coaches before Goran took over. Yet, the former pro knows it’s not all on him: “I’m not Harry Potter and with a wave of a wand I’m going to change everything overnight. But, of course, if he works hard and there’s the cooperation that should exist, the results will come, both with me and without me.” Strong words, but are they right?

They are. Stefanos has had incredible runs, proven by his career peak. His breakthrough was the stunning 2019 ATP Finals win, announcing his arrival among the elite. Clay courts became his domain, with three Monte-Carlo Masters titles (2021, 2022, and 2024). Twice a Grand Slam finalist—at the 2021 French Open and 2023 Australian Open—he’s shown relentless grit and skill, carving his place in tennis history.

Not to mention, Stefanos Tsitsipas was coached by his father, Apostolos, for most of his career. And while it gave some results, it wasn’t the right match. In 2024, he made the difficult decision to part ways professionally with his father. He openly described their father-son relationship as “toxic” because of the coaching dynamic. Apostolos was “constantly hunting” and applying excessive pressure. Stefanos explained that he wanted his father to be just a father in his personal life.

Now the question stands: what can Goran bring to guide him back? That remains to be seen. Despite his blunt assessment, Goran still believes in Stefanos: “He’s too good a player to be where he is, to play the way he’s playing right now.” Even his former coach has always expressed faith in him.

Patrick Mouratoglou backs up Stefanos Tsitsipas

At the 2023 Australian Open, the Greek faced a tough end, losing to Novak Djokovic in the final. It was his best run in Melbourne but a bitter pill after nearly a decade as a pro and coming so close to a Grand Slam title for the second time since the 2021 French Open. Yet, Serena Williams’ former coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, showed his support, tweeting, “It is the hardest time to win a Grand Slam but @DaniilMedwed has won one and @steftsitsipas made two finals and several semis of GS and I am 100% sure he will find a way.”

Mouratoglou’s connection with Stefanos goes way back to 2014 when he discovered the young Greek on YouTube. He recalled, “When I saw him, the first time, it was on YouTube. I saw him play in a match in Miami. He was young, he was 16. The competitiveness of the guy and then I saw him practice. Oh my god, the difference between practice and match, Woah. Unreal.” Stefanos began training at Mouratoglou’s academy in 2015, a key step in his rise.

Though reports say Stefanos and Mouratoglou parted ways after the 2023 Australian Open, their mutual respect remains strong. The French coach helped shape the player’s early career, and Stefanos has often credited the academy for giving him a new perspective on tennis. Now, with a new mentor by his side as he enters the grass-court season, the big question is: will Stefanos take control and clinch another title?

Fans and experts alike are buzzing with excitement and curiosity. Can Tsitsipas turn the page and rise again? Share your thoughts below