'It became even toxic in a way' - Stefanos Tsitsipas breaks silence on why he parted ways with his father as coach

Having a great relationship with your coach is vital to succeed on the ATP Tour, which is why tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas was forced to split from his father, Apostolos, who had served as the Greek's coach for most of his career.

The former World No.3 relieved his father of coaching responsibilities in 2024, after some tension had been brewing between the duo. Tsitsipas was coached by Davis Cup-winning coach Dimitris Chatzinikolaou after parting ways with Apostolos, but will be mentored by retired Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic for a trial period, starting with next week's Halle Open.

Their personal relationship was beginning to suffer, says Tsitsipas

In an appearance on The Changeover podcast, Tsitsipas went into more detail regarding the split from his father. The World No.26 revealed that their father-son relationship was taking a toxic turn due to the coaching responsibilities, and admitted it was difficult to part ways with his dad as a coach.

"It reached a point before where tennis got too much in the way and, as bad as it sounds, I think it became even toxic in a way because I felt like he was constantly hunting," explained the former Roland Garros finalist. "It reached the point where he was hunting more than me and that’s where the pressure kicks in. That’s where I feel the toxicity of it all."

Tsitsipas would elaborate that their relationship had improved due to his decision, and stated his father would always be dear to him. However, the Athens native is looking forward to his trial run with Ivanisevic. The retired Croat star coached 25-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic for six years, helping the Serbian win numerous Grand Slam titles and accolades. Tsitsipas will be looking to rebound under Ivanisevic's tutelage, after suffering a shock second round loss to qualifier Matteo Gigante at the French Open.