Stefanos Tsitsipas writes the new trainer for career

In a courageous step, the tennis phenoma of the world No. 9, Stefanos Tsitsipas, dissolved from his father and former coach Apostolos Tsitsipas to join Dimitris Strichzinikolaou. The professional relationship of the Greek star and his father was famous for his turbulence, characterized by numerous disputes and repeated separations. The last straw came last year when a public confrontation of Tsitsipas caused her coaching alliance to be separated.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, 26, has started working with Dimitris Chatzinikolaou since then, and the new partnership has already borne fruit. In a triumphal moment, Tsitsipas got his first ATP 500 title in Dubai and pushed him back into the top 10 of the world’s tennis elite. Tsitsipas attributes this success to the honesty and openness, which he finds in his new coach, a sharp contrast to his earlier mentors.

The coaching trip from Tsitsipas was a roller coaster ride. His father Apostolos was a staple in his coaching team most of his career. However, their relationship was affected by numerous controversy, with the frustration of Tsitsipas often broke out on the court. Remarkably, he struck a racket near his father at the ATP Cup 2020 and focused on his team at the ATP final 2022.

The turning point came to Canada last year when Tsitsipas lost his opening game and publicly insulted his father, described him as “very smart” and expressed his “disappointment”. Then he apologized for his comments, but decided that it was time to end her coaching relationship.

Tsitsipas’ new coaching relationship with Chatzinikolaou has obviously taken a different turn. The Greek star welcomed his honest and unfiltered communication as the basis of her successful partnership. He noticed that the ability to discuss feelings and improvements open and precisely was a key factor for building a good team.

Tsitsipas praised the openness and willingness of Chatzinikolaou to adapt, which he lacked in some of his former coaches. He emphasized that their mutual feedback mechanism, in which both acknowledge their imperfections and work towards improvement, distinguishes their relationship.

Interestingly, Tsitsipas refrained from naming Apostolos directly while he discussed his former mentors. However, he recently confessed in the tennis insider podcast, which was organized by the WTA star Caroline Garcia that her coaching relationship had negatively influenced her father-son bond. He expressed the wish that Apostolos returned to his father because their professional relationship had blurred these family lines.

This story about family ties, professional relationships and personal growth in the challenging world of professional tennis offers a unique insight into the journey of Stefanos Tsitsipas. His fresh combination with Dimitris Chatzinikolaou seems to have revived his career, and the fans are looking forward to what this new chapter holds for the Greek star.