Sometimes the truth hurts more than any injury. Stefanos Tsitsipas learned that lesson the hard way when his coach Goran Ivanišević delivered a brutal assessment after his Wimbledon withdrawal.
The former World No. 3 thought he was ready for tennis’ biggest stage, but his back injury and early exit told a different story. Now Ivanišević is opening up about what he really said and why Tsitsipas needed to hear it.
Stefanos Tsitsipas’ Coach Goran Ivanišević Opens Up About His Criticism of the Greek After Wimbledon Loss
Stefanos Tsitsipas’ coach, Goran Ivanišević, recently addressed his harsh criticism of the Greek player following the 2025 Wimbledon Championships. At the London Major, Tsitsipas faced qualifier Valentin Royer in the first round but was forced to retire before the third set began, with the score at 6-3, 6-2, 0-0 retd., due to a back injury.
Following Tsitsipas’s withdrawal from Wimbledon, Ivanišević didn’t hold back in his assessment of the former World No. 3. He mentioned that Tsitsipas must make changes beyond his on-court performance to regain his position in the top 10 world rankings.
The coach characterized the Greek as an “unprepared player” who aspires to advance in his career but isn’t taking the necessary steps to achieve that goal.
During a recent interview on Nova TV’s Dnevnik, Ivanišević was asked about Tsitsipas’s reaction to his harsh remarks after the Wimbledon Championships. He revealed that the former world No. 3’s ego was understandably affected, as athletes often struggle to accept criticism.
“Well, it hit him a little bit because every tennis player, an athlete, when their ego gets a little worked up, they don’t like that criticism. I mean, I told him anyway, tennis is an individual sport. To play on the court, you have to be physically and mentally ready. He wasn’t mentally or physically ready at Wimbledon. Back problems, a million problems,” Ivanišević said [translated from Croatian].
Beyond the physical issues, Ivanišević also mentioned that it was important that Tsitsipas manage his back injury and regain his competitive spirit.
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Ivanišević stressed that Tsitsipas needs to be both physically and mentally prepared to seize opportunities as they come.
“If he is not physically ready, if he is not at his best, how will he play with the best. So he must be ready to wait for his chance. When you are ready and when you are ready in your head, then when you get a chance, take advantage of it. So it’s a long way, there’s no magic wand, there’s no magic trick, you have to work. The better, but he is too good, I repeat myself, he is too good a player to be where he is right now,” Ivanišević added.
What Tournament Will Tsitsipas Play Next?
Following the conclusion of his grass court swing at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships, Tsitsipas is set to begin his hard court season at the 2025 Canadian Open. The tournament is scheduled to take place from July 27 to August 7, 2025, at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto.
The Canadian Open holds mixed memories for Tsitsipas. In 2024, the former world No. 3 entered the Canadian ATP Masters 1000 tournament as the eighth seed, beginning his campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. He secured a victory against Kei Nishikori, winning 6-4, 6-4 in the first round, but was eliminated in the second round by Nuno Borges.
Meanwhile, Tsitsipas’s best result at the Canadian Open came in 2018. He began that tournament by defeating Damir Džumhur in the first round, winning 6-3, 7-6(3). He advanced past seventh seed Dominic Thiem 6-3, 7-6(6), and overcame ninth seed Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3 in the second and third rounds, respectively.
In the quarterfinals, the Greek player triumphed over second seed Alexander Zverev, coming back to win 3-6, 7-6(11), 6-4. He secured his place in the final by registering a 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(7) win over fourth seed Kevin Anderson.
In the championship match, Tsitsipas faced top seed Rafael Nadal, ultimately finishing as the runner-up after losing 2-6, 6-7(4). Throughout the tournament, the former World No. 3 defeated four top 10-ranked players en route to the final.
