“He’s here to stay” – Tsitsipas confirms return of father to coaching team

After a few months’ hiatus, Stefanos Tsitsipas and his father Apostolos will once again be working together on the ATP circuit

Stefanos Tsitsipas in Toronto (Icon SMI/Panoramic)

Jérémy Baudu

October 4, 2023

This summer, for the first time since the start of his career, Stefanos Tsitsipas put his father aside and turned to Mark Philippoussis to coach him full-time. The Australian began working with the Greek in mid-2022, before taking a break from May to June 2023.

But after a disappointing US tour and a second-round elimination at the US Open, the 25-year-old decided to put an end to his collaboration with Mark Philippoussis for good, without giving any indication of his future coach.

In an interview with Tennis TV, Tsitsipas put an end to the suspense. Back to his roots, his father Apostolos will be resuming his place alongside him on the ATP circuit, in a bid to round off a 2023 season that started well with a final at the Australian Open, before going downhill.

"My Dad has always been there" 🫶@steftsitsipas reveals his father is back on his coaching team – but his partnership with Philippoussis is over…#RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/pbRsIslQG0
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 4, 2023

“Mark Philippoussis is not part of the team any more. I wanted to try with a coach and I wanted to see how that might work,” he said.

“It was a little bit off-tune in many ways. Not having the presence of my dad there, I felt like I was losing part of my identity as a player. I wasn’t just able to adjust to the new form, or ways, or teachings or methods that were applied by Mark, whom I admire and liked watching on TV when I was younger.”

He added: “My dad has always been next to me. Even when he was not there and people didn’t see him, he was always by my side, literally.

“He’s here to stay. I have no intention of ever changing my dad or pushing him away.

“People are always going to try and create rumours or try and destroy what you have with someone that is really close to you in any way or form. He is someone that cannot be excluded.”