Stefanos Tsitsipas has broken his silence on his latest coaching split with his father, Apostolos, suggesting he could not trust him. The Greek tennis star ended their working relationship again ahead of Wimbledon and has since won his first title in over a year in Gstaad with new coach Thomas Perrin of the Mouratoglou Academy.
New chapter with Perrin
Tsitsipas, now world No. 53, said about the new partnership: "It's a chapter that should have started a long time ago. I guess I was too patient with my time and too nice with handling certain things, to take so much time to proceed with the change. But it's how life works. Certain things come at a certain time."
He added: "I want it to be done with a coach that I am happy with right now. And he's someone that I trust. Patrick [Mouratoglou] is also someone that is supervising as well. So these are the people that have been with me since day one, people that believe in the academy, people that want the best for me, and that's the most important, working with those that will bleed for you."
Success in Montreal
The 13-time ATP title winner has come through qualifying to reach the main draw of the Canadian Open in Montreal, where he beat fellow qualifier Martin Damm in his opening match. It was his first-ever win in Montreal, although he is a former finalist in Toronto, as the event alternates between the two cities.
Tsitsipas now faces Brazilian teenage sensation and No. 22 seed Joao Fonseca in the second round, who beat him in a Davis Cup tie last year.
Comparison to other father-son coaching
Tsitsipas also cited Alexander Zverev and Ben Shelton as examples of healthy father-son coaching relationships, something he suggested he lacked. "You don't see it very often. It's a heavy relationship. And for some it works, which is great. Like for Zverev and Shelton, it works," he said.
He added: "And sometimes I actually wish, to be honest, I see Shelton's father. He's an example to me of how a father should be around his child playing competitive tennis. Like he's the perfect example, and I see him, and I'm like sometimes wishing things were like that, but unfortunately, they aren't. But I am a big fan of Shelton. I am a big fan of his father and the way their dynamic works."
