‘Failure’ Stefanos Tsitsipas told he has not fixed ‘weaknesses’ by four-time Grand Slam winner
Stefanos Tsitsipas has been told he has failed to address his weakness by four-time Grand Slam winner Jim Courier.
Having peaked at No 3 in the world, it has been a turbulent few years for Tsitsipas who has not won an ATP title since 2024 and is now ranked 80th in the world.
This season, he has already experienced five first-round knockouts but has improved in Madrid, winning three matches at a tournament for the first time this year.
But it was during the competition in the Spanish capital that Tsitsipas came in for some criticism from commentator Courier.
Speaking on the Tennis Channel, the winner of back-to-back French and Australian Opens tore into Tsitsipas for failing to fix errors in his game.
“For too long, the weaknesses in his game have remained,” Courier said. “His slice backhand, inadequate.
His backhand return, inadequate. His inability on other surfaces to recognise that he should be standing back to hit second serve returns so he can hit more forehands, that’s a failure.”
The Greek has been his volatile self during the tournament in Madrid and had a long disagreement with chair umpire Marijana Veljovic during his first match.
He was repeatedly warned about speaking to his coach before being hit with a point penalty in the third set but still wanted the decision explained.
Veljovic explained to the Greek: “If he talks to you in between the points from the beginning until the end.”
Tsitsipas interrupted: “Does it bother my opponent? As far as I know, coaching is allowed.”
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Veljovic replied: “Yes, discreet. Stefanos, if he talks to you when you’re on this side, when you’re on that side – If he talks to you in the whole duration between the two points, that’s just way too much.”
Tsitsipas continued the debate by saying “Discreet? Is he bothering my opponent?”
Veljovic: “Not at this moment, but it’s against the rule.”
Tsitsipas: “You said not to talk when I’m on the other side of the court, which I’m doing. I’m actually doing. So why, when I’m on my side, it’s also not allowed?”
Veljovic: “It’s not allowed as much as he does it.”
Tsitsipas: “You’re just going to take a point like this from me because of some stupidity?”
Veljovic: “I have to. Didn’t I tell you? I have to do something about it.”
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