Stefanos Tsitsipas had some pointed words about the people he wants around him after his opening-round victory at the Almaty Open. The Greek spoke about the importance of a peaceful team, the value of hard work, and the lessons he had learned from difficult experiences. Although one particular remark caught all the attention.

“Well, I’ve learned that a good team is half of the job,” Tsitsipas said during his press conference. “A team that is inspiring, a team that is peaceful, creates peace in the box and in your daily life. It is a really important asset that you can use, having the right people around you.”

“I’ve experienced a few things in my career. I’ve experienced some not so appreciated things.”

Tsitsipas did not name anyone, but the comments came months after he ended his father Apostolos’s role as his coach. Their relationship had become difficult to manage when family ties and professional responsibilities overlapped, and Tsitsipas has since spoken openly about the relief he felt after separating the two. His latest remarks in Almaty therefore sounded like a possible indirect dig at his father, even though he made no direct accusation.

The Greek explained that he was raised to believe that great things came from hard work. That made certain experiences especially confusing for him, as he had never encountered anything like them before without detailing the specifics of the situation.

“But I guess you learn and I guess you’re more careful in the future with the things but also the people you want to associate yourself with,” he added.

Tsitsipas ended his professional coaching relationship with Apostolos shortly before Wimbledon. His father had played a major role in his development, guiding him from childhood to the top of the game, including a career-high ranking of world No. 3 and runs to the 2021 French Open and 2023 Australian Open finals. Over time, however, the pressure of working together made it difficult for Tsitsipas to separate his relationship with his father from their professional responsibilities.

Tsitsipas said their relationship had improved since Apostolos stopped coaching him. “I love my father, and I love him as a father,” he said. “I want to keep the professional part out of my relationship with my father. My relationship with him has improved now that he’s not my coach.”

He also admitted that separating the two roles had become increasingly difficult. “It was very difficult for me to separate the coach and the father. I had reached a point where I could not avoid being triggered,” Tsitsipas said. He added that they remained in touch and that he was happy with how things stood between them.

The pressure had affected his tennis, too. Tsitsipas told the newspaper that certain people had triggered him negatively and that removing those triggers helped him experiment on court without being afraid of making mistakes. “Eliminating the pressure factor does help,” he said. He believes a good team should analyze his decisions and support him rather than make him feel judged.

His results since Wimbledon suggest that the change has coincided with a revival. Tsitsipas went 16–14 across his first 16 tournaments of the season, then posted a 21–8 record across the 10 events that followed Wimbledon. He also won the title in Gstaad in July, ending a 16-month title drought.

Tsitsipas now works with Thomas Perrin, with Patrick Mouratoglou overseeing the setup. He has also spoken about rebuilding parts of his game that he felt had lacked structure. In Almaty, his comments about a peaceful environment and the right people around him echoed his earlier explanation of why the coaching split was necessary.

Tsitsipas Sends Kukushkin Into Retirement With Dominant Almaty Win

Tsitsipas’s victory in Almaty also brought an emotional end to Mikhail Kukushkin’s professional career. The Greek defeated the 38-year-old Kazakh 6–1, 6–2 in the second round on October 21, ending Kukushkin’s farewell run in front of his home crowd. Despite the one-sided scoreline, the occasion meant far more to the former world No. 39 than the result alone.

Kukushkin had given himself one last moment to celebrate on Monday, beating qualifier Stefanos Sakellaridis 7–6 (4), 7–6 (3) in the opening round. Against Tsitsipas, however, he struggled to match the Greek’s power, speed, and accuracy. He still saved three match points at 5–1 in the second set before his career came to a close.

“It was really tough for me to play,” Kukushkin said. “I knew that Stefanos was such a great player. For me, he is a top five player, such a great champion. To share a court for my last match with Stefanos is such an honor for me.” He admitted that he was exhausted after his first-round match but described the tournament as a great experience.

The opportunity to retire at home had always been special to Kukushkin. “It’s super special. It’s like a dream coming true to finish at home with the home crowd,” he said. “For me, it was always about this kind of week, so special with this atmosphere, with this kind of support, with these emotions. To step on the court for the last time, it’s at home. It just feels incredible.”

Kukushkin turned professional in 2006 and reached a career-high ranking of No. 39 in 2019. His biggest achievement on the ATP Tour was winning the St. Petersburg title in 2010, and he reached three more tour-level finals in Moscow, Sydney, and Marseille. He also made the fourth round at the 2012 Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2019, and collected nine titles on the Challenger circuit.

Tsitsipas paid tribute to his opponent after the match, praising the career Kukushkin had built. “I honestly want to congratulate Misha on this incredible career he has had,” he said. “I don’t feel like there were a lot of things Misha did wrong today because my level was really high.” The win sent Tsitsipas into the quarterfinals, where he was scheduled to face Australia’s James Duckworth.