Ivanisevic Slams Tsitsipas After Wimbledon Exit: “Most Unprepared Player I’ve Ever Seen”

Former Wimbledon champion and newly appointed coach Goran Ivanisevic has delivered a blistering critique of Greek tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas following his first-round exit from this year’s Wimbledon tournament.

Tsitsipas, the former world No. 3 and twice a Grand Slam runner-up, was forced to retire during his opening match against French qualifier Valentin Royer on Monday. The 26-year-old trailed 6-3, 6-2 before withdrawing due to a persistent back injury, continuing a string of disappointing performances at major tournaments.

Speaking to Serbian outlet Sport Klub, Ivanisevic didn’t hold back in his assessment. “I have never seen a more unprepared player in my life,” said the Croatian coach, who joined Tsitsipas’ team in May. “With this knee of mine, I’m three times fitter than him. This is really bad.”

Ivanisevic, who famously won Wimbledon in 2001 and coached Novak Djokovic to nine Grand Slam titles, questioned Tsitsipas’ commitment to getting back to top form. “He wants to — but he doesn’t do anything,” he said. “It’s always ‘I want, I want,’ but I don’t see any progress.”

The former world No. 3 has reached just one quarter-final in his last nine Grand Slam appearances, a stark decline for a player once considered among the sport’s next big stars. His recent struggles led to the coaching shake-up, with Ivanisevic stepping in following a brief stint with Kazakh world No. 11 Elena Rybakina earlier this year.

Despite the criticism, Ivanisevic remains convinced that Tsitsipas has the talent to return to the top 10 — if he can address issues off the court. “If he solves some things outside of tennis, then he has a chance and he’ll return to where he belongs,” he said. “Because he’s too good a player to be ranked 26th.”

Tsitsipas, who reached the finals of the French Open in 2021 and the Australian Open in 2023, admitted after Monday’s retirement that he is still searching for answers regarding his lingering fitness problems.

As the All England Club moves into its second round, Tsitsipas’ early departure and Ivanisevic’s blunt remarks have sparked new questions about the Greek star’s trajectory — and whether a partnership with one of tennis’s most decorated coaches can reignite his stalled career.