There was some tension on the court in Montreal as Stefanos Tsitsipas bowed out of the National Bank Open earlier than expected.
The No. 8 seed and world No. 11 was upset by Kei Nishikori in his first match at the tournament on Thursday. The Japanese player, currently ranked No. 576 in the ATP rankings, earned his first top-20 win since 2021.
Unfortunately for Tsitsipas, it was another tough performance in his first match since Paris 2024, which led to a tense moment with his coach and father, Apostolos.
In the first set, Tsitsipas stopped the match and, in frustration, asked his father to leave the court, which he eventually did.
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After the match, Tsitsipas admitted that he might think about a potential change at coach that will help him grow and develop more as a player. He also noted that he has voiced complaints about his inability to perform with his forehand but felt those issues were ignored.
“For me, an ATP Masters 1000 match is an important match. I need and deserve a coach that listens to me and hears my feedback as a player,” Tsitsipas said. “My father hasn’t been very smart or very good at handling those situations, it’s not the first time he has done that. I’m really disappointed at him.
“I really don’t know right now if I’d consider any changes, but I’m really disappointed. The most important thing for a player is to have direct and good feedback from a coach. The coach is not the one holding a racquet. The player is the one trying to execute a game plan.”
This isn’t the first time that Tsitsipas has shown his frustration with his father/coach. During the French Open he told his father to “shut up,” as he was trying to offer him advice during the match.
Tsitsipas has been coached by his father since at least 2001.
