When it comes to an online presence, tennis players sure have their own personas. Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, and Coco Gauff often keep fans in the loop with their off-court lives. But Stefanos Tsitsipas? The Greek star takes a different route. His X profile is filled with philosophical musings and emotional reflections that spark curiosity. This year, though, his season has been anything but easy. And one person, in particular, has been most concerned about it.

Speaking to Sports.ru, Tsitsipas’ mother, former tennis player Julia Salnikova, offered insight into the ATP World No.34’s challenging year. The Greek has battled early exits and nagging back issues that sidelined him for months. And if that wasn’t enough, his social media posts caused concern, even for his mother.

When asked, “You said you don’t have any social media. So, you don’t follow his Twitter?” Salnikova said, “Believe me, several times, after reading some of his posts or opinions, I stood there with my mouth open and digested it all. And tried to find something positive in it.”

Julia has always had a soft spot for her son. Last year, in an interview with To Proino, she opened up about his rough childhood. “He was a very quiet child and very shy. Because of sports, he missed classes, and the children he had in the class, cannot be called friends, because they treated him very badly. There were two or three kids in his class who beat him quite a bit,” she revealed.

The 27-year-old fought through it all, driven by his deep love for tennis. He rose above those brutal times like a born competitor. As Julia put it best, “It was not easy for Stefanos then, but he overcame it because he had tennis and his mind was there to go forward. And that helped him a lot.”

While Stefanos Tsitsipas often appears active online, he isn’t glued to his phone. For years, he has voiced concerns about the negative effects of social media on mental health. He’s said he avoids phones hours before matches to stay clear of media noise and criticism.

In 2019, he spoke bluntly about the online world. “It is the impatient generation, the generation of the social media, all of this c***… They are impatient, always anxious because that is what social media creates, stress and other s*** you don’t need in your life,” he said. “It’s good to disconnect sometimes and have real chats, conversations with people, do other things that are real and not fake, that is not filled with numbers or digits.”

The Greek once stood high at No.3 in the world. But recent struggles have hit hard. His ranking has slipped out of the top 10 and into the top 30. Even former pros can’t help but feel empathy for him.

Stefanos Tsitsipas gets harsh feedback from American ex-pros

The last tournament Stefanos has played this year was the Davis Cup in Greece in Athens on September 14. Playing in front of a home crowd, the Greek star faced 19-year-old Brazilian sensation Joao Fonseca. The teenager pulled off a thrilling 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 victory in just over two hours. The outcome came out of nowhere!

Stefanos Tsitsipas seemed in control late in the deciding set, leading 5-3 and serving for the match. That game could have forced a deciding fifth rubber for Greece. But Fonseca flipped the script, breaking back with fearless hitting and sealing the biggest win of his young career. Tsitsipas, on the other hand, left fans deeply concerned. His collapse didn’t go unnoticed.

Former American pro Steve Johnson weighed in on the latest episode of the Nothing Major Show. “I mean, Tsitsipas is a rudderless boat at the moment,” Johnson said. “He has no idea what he’s doing. He just looks lost, I don’t know. He’s got to find some way to, like, get it back.”

It’s a painful drop for someone who once looked destined for greatness. Back in 2019, Tsitsipas became the youngest player since 2001 to win the ATP Finals, beating Dominic Thiem in three gripping sets. At that time, he famously said he was “really close” to capturing a Grand Slam. Twice he nearly did, at Roland Garros in 2021 and the Australian Open in 2023, falling just short in both finals.

Fast forward to 2025, and the story has been grim. Aside from lifting one trophy in Dubai, Tsitsipas has struggled badly all year. He bowed out early at all four majors and sits at world No. 27 with a modest 22-18 record. “I feel bad for him,” Johnson added. “The guy was top five in the world and competing for slams, and now just looks lost out there. Doesn’t have a purpose. Like, the game plan isn’t there. He just seems… just he’s just lost. So I feel for him.”

His season wrapped up early after the US Open and that Davis Cup defeat. Battling a back injury, he skipped both the Shanghai and Paris Masters to let his body heal. Perhaps he’ll be back in form as the 2026 season comes in? There’s just a month left now. What’s your take on this? Share your thoughts in the comments below!