Last May, desperate to revive his faltering campaign, Stefanos Tsitsipas turned to Novak Djokovic’s former coach Goran Ivanisevic. But the alliance unraveled in under two months, with Tsitsipas swiftly returning to his father, Apostolos Tsitsipas. Now, months later, Ivanisevic delivers a blunt verdict, exposing a player he found strikingly unready for elite battle, both in body and in mind.

In an interview with Sportklub on March 27, Goran Ivanisevic was asked when he realized his partnership with Stefanos Tsitsipas would not work. He answered clearly, “I knew after the second day of training.”

He then explained further what confirmed his doubts. “When he came to Zagreb to try rackets, I knew that nothing came of it. In the end, I didn’t say anything bad; everything I stated was true and proved to be so.”

Ivanisevic also revealed the advice he gave after the Wimbledon Championships. He said, “I told him nicely after Wimbledon to take four months off because it’s not just physical unpreparedness, but also mental unpreparedness.”

Despite the criticism, he still praised Tsitsipas’ ability. He stated, “He remains a phenomenal player, he was and still is, but those are just details.” However, Ivanisevic stressed the importance of mindset in modern tennis. “In today’s tennis, you can’t compete without being mentally prepared.”

He also reflected on his own struggles from the past. “I had similar problems myself when I dropped to 128th place in the rankings. In any case, everything is fine.” Speaking about their current relationship, Ivanisevic made it clear there is no bad blood. He said, “We met in Doha and greeted each other normally.”

He also addressed the controversy surrounding their split. He explained, “The issue was exaggerated; he said some things that we won’t delve into, but everything is in order, and we move forward.”

Before working with Ivanisevic, Tsitsipas had already experienced coaching changes. He had been coached by his father, Apostolos Tsitsipas, but they split in both 2023 and 2024. After the first separation, he hired Mark Philippoussis, though that partnership also ended after two months.

Tsitsipas then brought in Ivanisevic after an early exit at the French Open last year, where he lost in the second round to Matteo Gigante. His first result under Ivanisevic was a win at the Halle Open against Luciano Darderi, but he then lost to Alex Michelsen in straight sets.

At Wimbledon, Tsitsipas was forced to retire from his opening match against Valentin Royer while trailing 6-2, 6-2. Soon after, the partnership ended, and his ranking dropped to 51st. 

His struggles continued this season, including early exits at Indian Wells and a round-of-32 loss to Arthur Fils, as Ivanisevic remained vocal about their short-lived stint.

Goran Ivanisevic delivers a brutal reality check to Stefanos Tsitsipas after Wimbledon

Stefanos Tsitsipas had endured a difficult 2025 season, struggling to deliver strong performances at both the Australian Open and the French Open.

His campaign at the Wimbledon Championships ended in disappointment as well. He exited in the first round, citing lower back pain as the primary reason behind his early defeat.

Later, in an interview with Sport Klub, Goran Ivanisevic openly shared his frustration. He pointed out a major gap between Tsitsipas’ ambition and his actual effort on the court.

Ivanisevic did not hold back while assessing the situation. “The desire is there, but he does nothing to improve things.” He further added, “At least I can not notice his effort. Stefanos has to find a solution for his troubled back. I have never seen a more unprepared player in my life!”

He continued his blunt evaluation with another strong statement. “At my age and with the state of my knee, I’m in thrice better shape than him.” He also questioned Tsitsipas’ preparation, saying, “I’m not sure what he has done in the previous 12 months, but his current shape is very poor.”

Interestingly, Ivanisevic’s brutally honest personality is exactly what led Tsitsipas to hire him. The Greek player himself appreciated that direct approach during their time together.

Tsitsipas once explained why he valued Ivanisevic’s style. “Goran never lies. From day one, he told me things exactly as he saw them; he didn’t sugarcoat anything.”

He continued by highlighting the clarity he received from the Croatian. “I don’t want someone who’s there to please me. He doesn’t confuse me; he gives me clear information. He doesn’t overwhelm me or make me angry,” he told SDNA.

Later, Ivanisevic again criticized Tsitsipas’ overall approach toward his career. He said, “It’s simple, and it’s not simple. I’ve talked to him a lot of times. If he solves some things outside of tennis, then he has a chance, and he’ll return to where he belongs, because he’s too good a player to be out of the top 10.”

At present, the Athens-born star remains well below his expected level on the ATP Tour. The upcoming clay swing, highlighted by the Monte Carlo Masters and French Open 2021 reference point, offers a crucial opportunity for his revival. 

This phase will determine whether Stefanos Tsitsipas can rediscover form or continue his downward slide.