Stefanos Tsitsipas isn't playing well right now, and he's clearly frustrated with it as he lashed out towards his father and coach possibly signalling trouble in the team.
The Greek's coaching situation has been a running topic for many years. He has worked his entire life with his father, Apostolos Tsitsipas, and for a while, it worked out well.
He was an early bloomer, putting forward incredible performances as a teenager, but his career has since cooled down a bit. He hasn't been playing at a very high level for a few years now, and many have suggested a coaching change.
He has tried a few coaches alongside his father at times, but he has never really stopped working with him. Plenty of outside observers have noted that it seems a bit of a strange relationship that doesn't seem to be working, and Tsitsipas has come to a point where he's frustrated with it.
The Greek has publicly stated that he will never stop working with his father, but he seems to be getting frustrated with this setup because, according to his most recent thoughts on the matter, his father doesn't listen to him.
"I've already been complaining to my coach about it [not being able to perform with his forehand] for the last four-five days. That was also the reason why I had a confrontation with him during the match, I'm not used to it."
"For me an ATP Masters 1000 match is an important match. I need and I deserve a coach that listens to me and hears my feedback as a player. My father hasn't been very smart or very good at handling those situations, it's not the first time he has done that. I'm really disappointed at him."
Tsitsipas clearly conveyed a level of frustration and, more importantly, a prolonged situation because he specifically said that this wasn't the first time. It could possibly signal some trouble in the team, but it doesn't seem like he will make any changes right now.
He also addressed that, admitting that he doesn't know whether he will hire a new coach, but he is very disappointed by how the dynamic is right now.
"I really don't know right now if I'd consider any changes, but I'm really disappointed. The most important thing for a player is to have direct and good feedback from a coach. The coach is not the one holding a racket. The player is the one trying to execute a game plan."
"It's a collaborative work that you put in together. It has to be reciprocal in order for me to try to develop my tennis. It's something I don't want to get stuck at that."
Calls for him to distance himself from his father and try something new have been around for years, but so far, he hasn't made the decision. It would be interesting if he does, and perhaps it might save his career because right now, he does seem to be fading away from the Top 10 with each passing day.
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