The spotlight was supposed to be on Stefanos Tsitsipas, who made a statement at the Winston-Salem Open. Instead, tennis fans watched in disbelief as the top seed crumbled in the first round, raising concern about whether the Greek star should step away from tennis entirely. When your biggest weapons look broken and every match feels like a struggle, maybe it’s time to listen to what everyone’s saying.
How Did Fans React to Stefanos Tsitsipas’ Shocking Winston-Salem Exit?
Unseeded Bu Yunchaokete outplayed the World No. 28 in Tuesday’s first round of the ATP 250 event. Yunchaokete never looked like an underdog, fully exploiting his relentless firepower to claim the first set 6-3. The Chinese youngster asserted even greater control in the second, taking it 6-2 and recording his 10th tour-level victory of the season.
No. 1 seed Stef Tsitsipas crashes out of @WSOpen
No. 76 Yunchaokete Bu wins 6-3 6-2 in 88 min
Throughly professional, steady, composed, & consistent
Stefanos is really struggling badly
33 unforced errors, 6/23 2nd serve pts won
Just no confidence…pic.twitter.com/W3RPCAhMtE
— TennisONE App (@TennisONEApp) August 20, 2025
Adding to the Greek’s woes were a disappointing 33 unforced errors, compared with just 11 from his opponent. The defeat further underlined his faltering form, marking his fifth loss in six matches.
Tsitsipas’s shocking defeat garnered a wave of reactions from fans online, with one noting his former strengths now appear weak and suggesting he take a break for recovery. A recurring back injury had already forced him to retire in his opening match against qualifier Valentin Royer at the 2025 Wimbledon, and his form has steadily declined.
“VERY difficult watch. Stef is really lost and the big weapons he used to have look extremely feeble. Worrying state and the slump is getting steeper each day. A break to heal the lingering back issues would be advisable.,” they wrote.
VERY difficult watch. Stef is really lost and the big weapons he used to have look extremely feeble. Worrying state and the slump is getting steeper each day. A break to heal the lingering back issues would be advisable..
Bu snapped his 16 match LOSING streak vs Top 50 players!! https://t.co/7VP2XhvHtz
— Vansh (@vanshv2k) August 20, 2025
A fan reflected on Tsitsipas’ past Grand Slam finals, the 2021 French Open and 2023 Australian Open against Novak Djokovic, and wrote:
“Tsitsipas will rush to post useless stuff in X. Remember guys- Djokovic milked 2 GS finals against Tsitsipas that’s how he minted 12 slams from 2018-2023,” they said.
“Oh Lord. Tsitsipas needs to… Oh so many things on my mind,” a fan chimed in.
The frustration was clear across social media. One fan expressed their shock while questioning his coaching situation:
“🙀What the heck is going on with him? Maybe listening to some hard truths from your coach is the better bet??” a fan expressed shock.
🙀What the heck is going on with him? Maybe listening to some hard truths from your coach is the better bet?? https://t.co/kZR2y9o5eF
— racquetMan (@RacquetsTime) August 20, 2025
Another fan suggested that Tsitsipas should take a break and asked if endorsement obligations would keep him playing on tour.
“Stef needs to seriously take some time off. He’s had a poor showing at every US Open he’s played, don’t think this year will be better. I wonder if it’s his endorsement that he’s feeling obligated to play? Otherwise these losses are not healthy for his mind,” they commented.
Stef needs to seriously take some time off. He’s had a poor showing at every US Open he’s played, don’t think this year will be better. I wonder if it’s his endorsement that he’s feeling obligated to play? Otherwise these losses are not healthy for his mind.
— Seattle HQ (@seattle_hq) August 20, 2025
However, some fans remained hopeful about his future. “Miss the old Stef so bad 🫤 he’s gonna snap out of it soon enough it’s coming 🙏🏾🙏🏾❤️,” a fan weighed in.
How Has Stefanos Tsitsipas Fared in the Lead-Up to the US Open?
The 2025 season has been far from ideal for Stefanos Tsitsipas. His only standout moment came with a title run in Dubai, supported by quarterfinal finishes in Rotterdam, Monte-Carlo and Barcelona. However, the rest of his campaign proved to be underwhelming, with early exits at the Australian Open, Doha, Miami, Madrid, Rome, Roland Garros and Halle.
Tsitsipas found no relief on the North American hard courts, crashing out early in Toronto and Cincinnati before suffering fresh heartbreak in Winston-Salem. This string of disappointing results paints a concerning picture heading into the sport’s final Grand Slam of the year.
The World No. 28 heads into the US Open with an underwhelming 20-15 record, determined to leave his slump behind. As he looks to turn his fortunes around, all eyes will be on what the New York major holds for him.
