Goran Ivanisevic, former coach of Novak Djokovic, said he knew his partnership with Stefanos Tsitsipas would fail after just two days of training. In a recent interview, the Croatian highlighted Tsitsipas' physical and mental unpreparedness as key issues. Despite the criticism, Ivanisevic praised the Greek player's talent.
In an interview with Sportklub on March 27, Goran Ivanisevic explained that doubts about his coaching stint with Stefanos Tsitsipas arose quickly. 'I knew after the second day of training,' Ivanisevic said, pointing to a session in Zagreb where Tsitsipas tried rackets. The partnership, which began last May after Tsitsipas' second-round loss to Matteo Gigante at the French Open, lasted less than two months and ended after Tsitsipas retired injured in his Wimbledon opener against Valentin Royer while trailing 6-2, 6-2. Tsitsipas' ranking then fell to 51st, with further early exits at Indian Wells and a round-of-32 defeat to Arthur Fils this season. Ivanisevic advised Tsitsipas after Wimbledon to take four months off, stressing it was 'not just physical unpreparedness, but also mental unpreparedness.' He added, 'In today's tennis, you can't compete without being mentally prepared.' Ivanisevic compared Tsitsipas' lack of effort to his own comeback at the 2001 Wimbledon, where he won as a wildcard ranked 128th despite injuries. Despite harsh words like 'I have never seen a more unprepared player in my life' and claims of being in better shape himself despite knee issues, Ivanisevic holds no grudge. The pair met normally in Doha recently, and he called the split controversy exaggerated. Tsitsipas has a history of short coaching changes, including splits with his father Apostolos in 2023 and 2024, and a brief tenure with Mark Philippoussis. Ivanisevic believes Tsitsipas, whom he called a 'phenomenal player,' can return to the top 10 if he addresses issues outside tennis.