'I’m not Harry Potter': Goran Ivanisevic admits Stefanos Tsitsipas needs time to recover top form

Goran Ivanisevic didn’t hold back when assessing his new player, Stefanos Tsitsipas, after their unexpected coaching partnership was announced. The former coach of Novak Djokovic said the Greek star is currently far from where he should be in the rankings and hopes to guide him back to the top—though he knows it won’t be easy.

The Croatian coach has worked with several high-profile players during his career, all of whom reached at least the Top 5. His most notable stint was with Novak Djokovic, coaching him from 2019 to 2024 and being part of nine Grand Slam titles: three each at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, two French Opens, and one US Open.

After a successful run with Djokovic, the two parted ways in early 2024, and Ivanisevic stepped away from the Tour. In a surprise move, he later joined Elena Rybakina’s team—his first experience on the WTA Tour—but the partnership ended shortly after the Australian Open. Rybakina’s controversial reunion with Stefano Vukov—who has since been banned by the WTA for alleged mistreatment—led Ivanisevic to walk away from the project.

Now, Ivanisevic has taken on his fifth ATP player as a coach. He will aim to help Tsitsipas return to his former glory. From 2019 to 2023, Tsitsipas consistently stayed inside the top 8, spending most of that time in the top 5. He also reached two Grand Slam finals, won the ATP Finals, and three Masters 1000 titles.