Stefanos Tsitsipas Speaks Honestly About Why He Split From Father Apostolos
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Last year, Stefanos Tsitsipas finally parted ways with his father, Apostolos, who had coached the ATP Greek No. 1 for several years. In a recent podcast appearance, he revealed the reasons for that move.
Tsitsipas had faced calls for years to replace Apostolos with a more experienced coach. However, that was not easy because of their family connection, and after Stefanos had achieved much success with him as a coach.
One of Tsitsipas' physios claimed that Stefanos had wanted to split from his father for many years, but his mother made her son feel guilty when she mentioned what he had done for him in tennis and broader life.
The Tsitsipas family took legal action against the physio for his comments, arguing they harmed their name. However, Stefanos' remarks in a recent episode of Caroline Garcia's Tennis Insider Podcast indicate that the physio was correct in his statements.
Stefanos admitted he had been thinking about going down his own route for several years but found it challenging to split from Apostolos. How hurt his father was after the parting showed why the ATP star avoided doing it for so long.
"I chose to stop collaborating with my father because I saw many things that were tiring to him. He didn't have the same energy levels that he used to."
"Perhaps he was making mistakes more often than normal, and I was already thinking for years I wanted to take my own route, but it was difficult to disconnect and let go of my father. Doing that to him hurt him so much. It's just difficult to cut him."
The 26-year-old's love for Apostolos was apparent despite their painful split. He called his father a man of honor who admitted to making mistakes as a coach and praised him for being a great support.
"I think a lot of things changed outside of my tennis which affected my tennis. That's how I've been reflecting on that change with my father who was there with me from the beginning. We obviously had tensions, I think that's normal. I wouldn't think otherwise."
"He's been a great support for me. He's a very emotional person, people don't understand he's very emotional to have around. He showed me the way for so many years, how to go and how to try and do it. He was not always wrong, but he's a man of honor and he admitted doing wrong and accepted mistakes."
Stefanos clarified that he remains in touch with Apostolos despite the brutal parting and wants him there as a father. The two-time Grand Slam runner-up regrets that their relationship became more business-like.
"I'm in touch with him. I want him to be my father. I lost that value of having a father. It had become more of a business relationship."
Tsitsipas deserves credit for being willing to talk openly about a sensitive topic. He had a bad start to 2025, losing in the first round of the Australian Open to Alex Michelsen, but splitting with Apostolos might prove wise in the long term.
