Goran Ivanišević has fired back at celebrity coach Patrick Mouratoglou after the latter condemned him over his controversial comments against his former protégé Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Goran Ivanišević Hints at a Confrontation With Patrick Mouratoglou in Toronto or Cincinnati
The events were set into motion after Ivanišević used harsh words to criticize Tsitsipas after a Round 1 exit at Wimbledon. The Greek was trailing French qualifier Valentin Royer 6-3, 6-2 when he retired due to a back injury.
“It’s simple and it’s not simple,” Ivanišević said of Tsitsipas days after he exited Wimbledon. “I’ve talked to him a lot of times. If he solves some things outside of tennis, then he has a chance and he’ll return to where he belongs, because he’s too good a player to be out of the top 10.”
He continued, “He wants to but he doesn’t do anything. All ‘I want, I want’, but I don’t see that progress. I was shocked. I have never seen a more unprepared player in my life. With this knee, I am three times more fit than him. This is really bad.”
The comments sparked backlash from several prominent pundits, including French coach Mouratoglou, best known for his decade-long stint with Serena Williams.
Ivanisevic on Mouratoglou’s comments about his own comments on Tsitsipas 🤪 https://t.co/cEXdpPzzzV
— Oleg S. (@AnnaK_4ever) July 29, 2025
Ivanišević, clearly unhappy with Mouratoglou’s response, has hinted that he would confront the Frenchman at an upcoming tournament.
“I will talk to him when I see him, that’s for sure,” he said in a recent interview. “If he has problem with me, he should call me, tell me what he thinks.”
The former Wimbledon champion continued, “I will tell him what I think. I don’t go around and talk what I think about him. I better not say what I think about him. So I will be quiet for the moment.”
Ivanišević hinted that he is likely to confront Mouratoglou over his comments at one of the upcoming ATP 1000 tournaments in Toronto or Cincinnati.
He said, “If I go to Toronto or Cincinnati, I am most excited to see Mouratoglou, let’s put it this way, to talk to him, to explain a few things. I knew why he did that. But still, I never had problem with any coach in my life. Coaches, they should support each other, and not go to internet and talk about other coaches.”
Patrick Mouratoglou Claims Goran Ivanišević Tried To ‘Distance Himself’ From Stefanos Tsitsipas’ Poor Results
Mouratoglou, who coached Tsitsipas from 2018 to 2021, weighed in on the situation, saying, “I feel like Goran is ashamed of the results and wants to distance himself from Stefanos, blaming the player alone.”
“That’s the opposite of how I understand coaching,” he said. “You can discuss your player publicly, but not by throwing him to the wolves.”
He continued, “I’m not familiar with the details, but I would be very surprised if they could work together effectively after Goran’s comments.”
Last week, Tsitsipas announced on Instagram that he had parted ways with Ivanišević.
“Working with Goran Ivanisevic was brief but an intense experience and a truly valuable chapter in my journey,” Tsitsipas posted in his Instagram story. The duo had started working in May amid a form slump for the Greek.
Ivanisevic helped Novak Djokovic claim nine of his 24 Grand Slam titles before leaving his team last year and briefly working with Kazakh Elena Rybakina.
