Stefanos Tsitsipas is making a bold change to his coaching team with the announcement of a partnership with Goran Ivanisevic, the former coach of Novak Djokovic. The Croatian will officially join Tsitsipas after the clay swing, once Roland Garros concludes, according to 'Gazzeta' from Greece.
Tsitsipas has been coached for most of his career by his father, Apostolos Tsitsipas. However, tensions escalated in August 2024 when Stefanos famously asked his father to leave his box mid-match at the Canadian Open, ultimately leading to Apostolos stepping down as head coach.
In the aftermath, Greece’s Davis Cup captain Dimitris Chatzinikolaou took over coaching duties for the former World No. 3. But following a couple of inconsistent seasons and a decline in his prominence on the ATP Tour, Tsitsipas has now opted for one of the most respected names in tennis coaching.
Ivanisevic had previously worked alongside Novak Djokovic for several years, helping him win 12 Grand Slam titles. After parting ways with the Serbian star, Ivanisevic stayed away from coaching for most of 2024—until a brief surprise stint with 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.
That WTA venture, however, was short-lived. Amid controversy surrounding Stefano Vukov, Rybakina’s former coach, Ivanisevic stepped away. Rybakina announced Vukov’s return to her team despite his suspension, and Goran, reportedly left in the dark, chose to exit after just three tournaments.
Now, Ivanisevic is set to make his ATP comeback as Tsitsipas’ coach immediately following Roland Garros. Given Tsitsipas’ underwhelming record on grass—he’s never made it past the fourth round at Wimbledon—this move makes sense. With a former Wimbledon champion like Ivanisevic in his corner, the Greek star is clearly aiming to rewrite his story on grass.