Tensions are simmering in the tennis world after Goran Ivanisevic fired back at fellow coach Patrick Mouratoglou, following a public disagreement over Ivanisevic’s recent criticism of Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The two high-profile coaches have clashed after Ivanisevic openly called out Tsitsipas for being out of shape and lacking motivation. As expected, Mouratoglou labeled this criticism as unprofessional and damaging.
Speaking to the press, Ivanisevic didn’t mince words when addressing Mouratoglou’s comments. “If he has a problem with me, he should call me,” Ivanisevic said bluntly. “Tell me what he thinks, I will tell him what I think. I don’t go around and talk what I think about him. I better not say what I think about him. So I will be quiet for the moment.”
For the unitiated, the feud began when Ivanisevic criticized the Greek star’s fitness and attitude. “He says he wants to return to the top level, but he’s not doing anything,” Ivanisevic said. “I was shocked; I’ve never seen a more unprepared player in my life. With this knee, I’m three times fitter than him.”
Mouratoglou, who coached Tsitsipas during his rise to World No. 3 and two Grand Slam finals, did not take kindly to those remarks. In an interview with Daily Express, he slammed Ivanisevic’s approach, saying, “Goran going to the press and criticizing his player is not coaching. Especially when trust hasn’t even been built yet. You’re already killing the person publicly.”
That’s not all; he even went on to accuse Ivanisevic of shifting blame. “It makes me feel that Goran is ashamed of the result and wants to separate himself from Stefanos to say, ‘It’s not me, I’m good.’ He is not good. That’s his fault. For a coach to do that—it’s painful to see.”
Mouratoglou also pointed out that Ivanisevic knew the challenges he was stepping into when he joined Tsitsipas’ team. “When Goran accepts the job, he knows Stefanos isn’t doing things right. That’s the job. If you look at Stefanos’ results over the past year, they speak for themselves.”
With both sides firmly holding their ground, it’s clear this coaching spat is far from over. Whether Tsitsipas can find his form amid the drama remains to be seen, but for now, the spotlight is just as much on the two coaches.