Tsitsipas Credits Coach for Dramatic Tennis Comeback

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Stefanos Tsitsipas has attributed his recent resurgence in tennis performance to his “very honest relationship” with coach Dimitris Chatzinikolaou, whom he began working with at the end of 2024 after parting ways with his longtime coach and father, Apostolos Tsitsipas. With this support, the world No. 9 has broken into the ATP top 10 after nearly 10 months of struggle.

Tsitsipas, who captured his 12th career title at the Dubai Tennis Championships earlier this month, expressed gratitude for Chatzinikolaou’s approach. “It’s a very honest relationship. There are no filters with Dimitris,” he said. “I can communicate with him freely, which is important for a good team dynamic.”

Chatzinikolaou, the Greek Davis Cup captain, has known Tsitsipas for several years but this marks their first official coaching collaboration. Tsitsipas secured the title in Dubai after losing 11 previous finals at the ATP 500 level. Following his victory, he advanced to the fourth round of the Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells.

In his opening match at Indian Wells, Tsitsipas defeated Thiago Seyboth Wild before claiming a convincing victory over former top-10 player Matteo Berrettini. Reflecting on their partnership, Tsitsipas highlighted Chatzinikolaou’s humility and willingness to adapt. “What makes our relationship stand out is how we both feed each other feedback,” Tsitsipas said. “I don’t pretend I know everything, and Dimitris is humble enough to believe he isn’t perfect either.”

While the collaboration initially took time to yield results—evident in his year-end ranking of No. 11 in 2024—Tsitsipas noted significant improvements in his game. “I saw a big improvement in how I approached my matches and my work ethic during practice. I was playing well, but it didn’t translate to match play quickly,” he added.

Tsitsipas also revealed that a recent racket change contributed to his return to form. “Little by little, I started to improve and perfect my game. Now, I feel more confident stepping onto the court,” he said.

Looking ahead, Tsitsipas aims to continue his winning momentum as he faces the 12th seed in the fourth round of the tournament on Tuesday. A victory would secure him only his second quarter-final appearance at Indian Wells in seven attempts.