Stefanos Tsitsipas’ former physiotherapist, Jerome Bianchi, has provided an inside look at the dynamics between the Greek tennis star and his coach, Apostolos, painting a picture of a toxic environment behind the scenes.
Over the past few years, Tsitsipas and Apostolos have had their fair share of tense moments on the court, hinting at underlying issues in their relationship. However, tensions reached a boiling point at the Montreal Masters when Tsitsipas, frustrated with his father/coach, demanded that he leave the court – a request that was promptly honored.
The fallout from this incident was apparent in Tsitsipas’ performance as he fell to Kei Nishikori in straight sets. The 26-year-old later criticized Apostolos, labeling him as “not very smart” for failing to cater to his needs on the court. This public condemnation led to Tsitsipas relieving his father of coaching duties, a decision that had been a long time coming according to Bianchi.
“Their relationship has not been sustainable for years, their way of operating is harmful,” Bianchi told L’Equipe. The former physiotherapist revealed that Tsitsipas had been considering making a change for some time but struggled with feelings of guilt.
In the wake of the coaching shakeup, Tsitsipas will be looking to regroup and move forward with a new support system in place. Only time will tell if these changes will lead to improved results on the court for the talented Greek player.