It doesn’t happen anymore. Stéfanos Tsitsipás definitely has a string of defeats and disappointments. Since his final at Roland Garros in 2021, lost to Novak Djokovic in 5 sets, the Greek has rarely managed to rise to the level of the best. Once again, the world number 7 bit the dust in the second round of the US Open against the Swiss, Dominic Stricker, in 5 sets after having led 2 sets to 1 (5-7, 7-6, 7-6 , 6-7, 3-6) in 4:04 of the match. Worse, he even served for the match at 5-3 in the 4th set. “This had never happened to me before. It’s the first time. Usually, I’m much stronger mentally. Even if I happen to get broken while serving for the match, I always find solutions in the tiebreak or maybe in the fifth set, if that has already happened. That was not the case today (Wednesday). I was not able to bounce back after that. I wasn’t as strong,” conceded Stéfanos Tsitsipás after the game. It should nevertheless be noted that Flushing Meadows does not succeed for him since he has never exceeded the 3rd lap there.
This season, the 25-year-old has “only” won a title in Los Cabos. He certainly made it to the final of the Australian Open, but it was at the very start of the season. Since then, success has not really been there with an elimination in the quarter-finals of Roland-Garros (against Carlos Alcaraz) and an exit in the round of 16 at Wimbledon against the surprise American Christopher Eubanks. A final in Barcelona lost against Carlos Alcaraz, a record far from its past standards, especially in 2019, 2020 or even 2022.
His tour of the United States was not brilliant either with an elimination in the 2nd round against Gaël Monfils in Toronto and a defeat in the round of 16 in Cincinnati against the Pole Hubert Hurkacz. “This summer I haven’t been good enough to get good results. After Los Cabos, I had a difficult transition to Toronto, where I faced very bad jet lag. I have never had this kind of experience. Against Gaël (Monfils), it was a very difficult match (loss 6-4, 6-3). In fact, I was thinking of forfeiting but I finally played, I hoped I could do something. »
Since the age of 12, Stéfanos Tsitsipás has been trained and monitored by his father, Apostolos. An omnipresent and omnipotent technician. The latter even stopped everything to devote himself to the career of his prodigy son. “I don’t know if he had a choice but he took the risk, he explained in 2018. He left everything to travel with me. So obviously, I measure everything he has done for me, it’s incredible. Not many fathers would do that for their son. »
As many followers recommended, the Greek called on an additional coach in his staff in the person of the former 8th in the world Mark Philippoussis in order to remove his father from daily business. A collaboration that did not last long since at the end of the match against Stricker that night, “Tsitsi” announced that he was stopping with Philippoussis. According to the Greek media SDNA, his decision was even already made before the American Grand Slam. Tsitsipás and Philippoussis had already collaborated since the half of the 2022 season until the end of May 2023. The Greek had called on the Australian again in August. Without success.
Already struggling in terms of results, the Greek’s situation has apparently not improved since the formalization of his relationship with the Spaniard Paula Badosa last June. Since then, Tsitsipás has reached the final only once in Los Cabos and has 7 defeats for 10 victories. A meager record for a player like him, top 8 in the world. Do the two lovebirds live a real romance, to the point of not really being focused on tennis anymore?… “Yes, we are a couple. But not only. We are kindred spirits. Maybe that’s how it should be defined. […] I have met many women in my life. And I can say that with great confidence. I’ve never felt so attracted, I’ve never found so much beauty and I’ve never been interested in a woman, “said Stéfanos Tsitsipás in early August. And they even share their love on a joint Instagram account followed by more than 90,000 fans. Many photos and videos appreciated by their followers but just as many moments disconnecting them from their professional life… Before the US Open, Paula Badosa also ended her 2023 season for an injury that she dragged on for months .
