Stefanos Tsitsipas has opened up about the difficulties of his high-profile relationship with fellow tennis player Paula Badosa, admitting he found the public scrutiny uncomfortable and would not date a tennis player again.
The pair went public with their relationship in 2023, quickly becoming one of the sport's most prominent couples. Fans dubbed them "Tsitsidosa" as they documented their travels on a shared social media account. After a brief separation and reconciliation in 2024, the relationship ended permanently in 2025.
Struggling With a Shared World
Speaking in a press conference, Tsitsipas, now in a relationship with Kristen Thoms, said: "I have found more peace and tranquillity from not being with someone that does the same thing as me."
He explained that as a creative person, he likes to escape his world when not in it, which is difficult when a partner shares the same profession. "Now, that is not an excuse for why not to be with someone, because obviously when you love someone and you really care for someone, you will move mountains in order to be with them and spend time with them," he said.
Anxiety and a Desire for Privacy
Tsitsipas described feeling that the situation became "too much," citing "a lot of anxiety" and "a lot of uncertainty." He said his whole life almost duplicates around tennis, when he wants more control over how he lives.
"I have preferred a life where I'm with someone that is not in the same field or in the same profession as me. I feel like it keeps me calmer, it keeps my head clear, and it keeps my life more private," he added.
He stated that having a private life is the most important thing to him. "I was never a fan of being in the public eye, especially when I'm with someone. I'm a private person, and that made me feel very uncomfortable," Tsitsipas said.
Badosa's Earlier Comments
Earlier this year, before Wimbledon, former world No. 2 Badosa said their relationship had gone through "toxic situations" that continued after their break-up. She said: "There were many of them [toxic situation]. I suffered a lot for a year. What I and the people around me went through was very difficult."
Declining to mention Tsitsipas by name, she added: "Everything comes out in the end. But he is a person - him and those around him - that I do not want to name any more or dwell on."
