Stefanos Tsitsipas' coach Goran Ivanisevic tears into the tennis star after shock Wimbledon exit insisting he's 'never seen a more unprepared player in his LIFE' - days after 'Tsitsidosa' break-up

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  • The former world No3 was forced to retire injured against Valentin Royer 
  • Tsitisipas has struggled to go deep at all three of the Grand Slams this season 
  • Ivanisevic previously worked with Novak Djokovic and Elena Rybakina 

By TAMARA PRENN

Published: 10:22 BST, 4 July 2025 | Updated: 10:22 BST, 4 July 2025

Fomer Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic has shared a damning assessment of his player Stefanos Tsitsipas' form after the former world No3 suffered a shock first-round exit at Wimbledon. 

The 26-year-old was forced to withdraw during his clash with Valentine Royer after suffering a back injury which had received treatment on court. 

But during the early stages of the tie, the number-24 seed had fallen 6-2, 6-2 behind the French underdog. 

Tsitsipas has struggled for form during an uneven season that has seen him both win his first ATP500 title in Dubai, and suffer early exits at the Australian Open and at Roland-Garros, as well as in SW19. 

The 29-year-old hired Ivanisevic, who previously served as the long-time coach of Novak Djokovic before a brief spell working with 2023 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, in May, in a promising move for the Greek No1. 

But after faltering on the grass, the Serbian coach pulled no punches about the work Tsitsipas needed to carry out to reach his potential at the top of the sport. 

Goran Ivanisevic did not hold back in his criticism of Stefanos Tsitsipas' work ethic this week

The former world No3 was unable to progress past the first round at this year's Wimbledon

The 26-year-old is also thought to be in the throes of his break-up with Spain's Paula Badosa

'It’s both simple and not simple,' Ivanisevic told Serbian network Sport Klub. 'I’ve spoken to him several times. 

'If he resolves certain off-court issues, he’ll have a chance to return to where he belongs, because he’s too good to be outside the top 10.'

'He says he wants to (return to the top level), but he’s not doing anything. It’s always "I want, I want," but I don’t see any progress. 

'I was shocked; I’ve never seen a more unprepared player in my life. With this knee, I’m three times fitter than him. It’s really bad.' 

Away from the court, Tsitsipas' personal life is thought to be in tumult after his shock separation from his on-off girlfriend of two years, fellow tennis player Paula Badosa. 

On Tuesday, Mail Sport reported that the couple had stopped following one another on Instagram and that they had wiped pictures from their relationship from their respective feeds. 

The following day, reports from Spain appeared to confirm the split, with a source close to the couple claiming that 'ghosts from the past' had come back to haunt the tennis power duo affectionately known as 'Tsitsidosa'. 

Tsitsipas and Badosa first went public with their relationship in 2023, but broke up for the first time the following spring. 

Tsitsipas received treatment for a back issue during his first-round clash with Valentin Royer

Tsitsipas has not made it to the first round of a Grand Slam in any of the three this season

Badosa and fellow tennis star Tsitsipas has been together on-and-off since summer 2023

The pair were due to take part in the star-studded and revamped US Open mixed doubles event

During the 2024 French Open, the couple announced that they were back together and had openly discussed plans for marriage. 

'We're still trying to figure it out,' Tsitsipas said in April. 

'We're competing, like Spain, Greece, Spain, Greece. But Greece has my heart,' Badosa replied.

The pair were also set to compete in the US Open's new-look star-studded mixed doubles at the end of August. 

'I believe it’s honestly one of the best feelings to be sharing the court with Paula,' Tsitsipas said when the entry list pairings were announced. 

'I’ve had a few instances where we played some mixed doubles and it worked out pretty well. We were able to enjoy the company of one another on the tennis court and make something great out of it.'

Only a week ago, Tsitsipas had shared a video of the couple taking on a food challenge, where they choose between dishes from their respective homelands Greece and Spain.

That video has now been removed from his profile, as with all content on both of their feeds relating to the other.

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