“I need and I deserve a coach that listens to me and hears my feedback as a player,” Stefanos Tsitsipas declared last year, signaling the beginning of the end of his long, often turbulent, coaching relationship with his father Apostolos. From heated courtside moments with Apostolos to failed collaborations with the likes of Mark Philippoussis, the drama followed Tsitsipas’ box everywhere. But now, a new chapter begins as the Greek is reportedly all set to add Novak Djokovic’s former coach Goran Ivanisevic to his coaching team. As the tennis world reacts to the news, the 6-time GS winner Boris Becker weighs in with optimism as well.
Stefanos Tsitsipas is making serious waves in Monte Carlo this year as he confidently defends his title, cruising into the QFs with supreme touch. However, it’s not just his on-court brilliance that’s stirring headlines, it’s the quiet but seismic shifts happening in his coaching camp.
With Dimitris Hadjinikolaou notably absent from the Tsitsipas box, and Kerry Abakar now officially guiding the Greek through the clay season, speculation is swirling around the future of his coaching team. The fans are left abuzz with a fresh twist hitting the timeline.
Good news ! https://t.co/xwFBLESPck
— Boris Becker (@TheBorisBecker) April 10, 2025
According to the Greek journalist Dimitris Mytikas, via Gazzetta, Tsitsipas is set to begin a brand-new coaching journey with Goran Ivanisevic, right after Roland Garros. “One of the biggest bangs is brewing in the tennis world,” Mytikas wrote on X (translated from Greek).
And, the tennis fraternity wasted no time reacting. Among the first to weigh in was none other than former world No. 1 Boris Becker, who responded to the news with a glowing endorsement, adding, “Good news!” he wrote with a quirky nod.
Ivanisevic, the Croatian great who previously led the Serbian GOAT Novak Djokovic through one of the most dominant phases of his career, is now poised to take over the technical reins of Tsitsipas’ team.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time the two have been in talks; their earlier connection was put on hold when Ivanisevic briefly teamed up with Elena Rybakina. However, that collaboration fizzled out after the AO, opening the door once again for Tsitsipas to secure the 2001 Wimbledon champion’s strategic expertise.
However, before that, Tsitsipas is looking to defend his title at Monte Carlo. How is his campaign going?
“A lot of action,” Stefanos Tsitsipas shared his remarks after an emphatic win over Nuno Borges
The 8th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas continued his red-hot form at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters on Thursday, cruising past Portugal’s Nuno Borges 6-1, 6-1 in just 67 minutes to notch his 50th career win at an ATP Masters 1000 event on clay. Remarkably, 22 of those victories have come on the storied courts of Monte Carlo, where the Greek is already a 3-time champion. Now, as he charges toward a potential fourth title at Monte Carlo, Tsitsipas stands on the cusp of surpassing legends like Ilie Nastase, Bjorn Borg, and Thomas Muster, trailing only the Spaniard Rafael Nadal in all-time Monte Carlo titles at the tournament.
Against Borges at Court Rainier III, Tsitsipas put on an absolute clinic! With blistering forehands and precise footwork, he dominated every inch of the court, leaving Borges scrambling and spectators in awe. Later, he shared his unfiltered opinion at courtside after the match concluded.
“Most games were really close. I felt most of the games were ending at the 40/30 score, there was a lot of action. I don’t think the score resembles the match. There was a lot more than the score shows. We both tried to push each other to the limit. He was maybe unable to take advantage of certain opportunities, and I handled them much better than I expected,” the 26-year-old said.
Tsitsipas, who fended off all 5 break points in the opening set, boasts a flawless 15-0 record in Monte Carlo against opponents ranked outside the Top 20 in the PIF ATP Rankings. With one title already under his belt this year in Dubai, he now continues his quest for more silverware on the clay.
“I know I have scored good wins here and played some good tennis. I want to come back onto this court and do more and accept the new challenges. I am just trying to take it match by match. I want to create way more memories on this court and I want to play better tomorrow against Lorenzo, who is a great clay-court player,” the Greek further added.
Tsitsipas is now slated to face 6th seed Lorenzo Musetti, who booked his spot in the QF by defeating fellow Italian Matteo Berrettini. This marks Musetti’s first Masters 1000 QF appearance since 2023. Can Tsitsipas overpower the Italian prodigy and cruise into the SFs? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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