Health coach Christos Fiotakis has left Stefanos Tsitsipas’ group and now he’s calling out Tsitsipas as he claims he left the Greek tennis star over dissatisfaction together with his work ethic and after he was left feeling that the 25-year-old’s major focus wasn’t on tennis however on another stuff.
After working with Tsitsipas for a few years, Fiotakis turned a full-time member of the Greek’s group for the 2024 season. However after Tsitsipas’ straight-set defeat to Carlos Alcaraz within the French Open quarterfinal, Fiotakis determined to pack his luggage and conclude his collaboration with the present world No. 11.
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Reflecting on their partnership, Fiotakis mentioned he was glad that he was capable of assist Tsitsipas regain his energy and health after his again damage sustained in late 2023. However in terms of Tsitsipas’ leads to 2024, Fiotakis made it clear that he hoped the Greek tennis star would obtain extra.
“I’m closing this circle, after I mentioned that I’ll attempt to convey most outcomes till Roland Garros. The outcomes and targets I had set as a coach didn’t come. Nevertheless, we obtained Stefanos again on his ft, again to being a wholesome athlete and competing at a excessive stage after his damage. Past that there are some issues which can be out of my management,” Fiotakis instructed SDNA.
“The group ambiance doesn’t match my vitality and, sadly, we’ve different priorities. I want him, nonetheless, the most effective, that he might all the time be wholesome. Thanks for this expertise I had with the group, I feel I gave them so much, however I additionally realized so much by way of the seven intense months on tour with such a excessive stage athlete. I hope that in some unspecified time in the future he’ll perceive that what I’m telling him is appropriate and that he’ll climb to step one of the rostrum.”
Fiotakis: I used to be trying ahead to the Olympics with Tsitsipas
Apparently, Fiotakis’ determination comes after Tsitsipas’ greatest a part of the season.
Earlier than the clay season, Tsitsipas was very inconsistent and a semifinal exhibiting in Los Cabos was his solely notable end result. However through the clay season, Tsitsipas’ kind improved and he received the Monte Carlo Masters – completed as a runner-up in Barcelona – and he was additionally a quarterfinalist on the Rome Masters and French Open. However whereas quarterfinal showings in Rome and Roland Garros had been stable, it needs to be famous that Tsitsipas and his group definitely had greater ambitions after back-to-back finals in Monte Carlo and Barcelona.
And through or after the French Open, one thing modified in Fiotakis’ emotions and he found out that ending his partnership with Tsitsipas was the most effective factor for him.
“i used to be actually trying ahead to the Olympics in Paris as a result of I assumed that will be the second once we might convey the gold, which we didn’t do in Tokyo, on account of dangerous luck and a few unusual circumstances,” Fiotakis added.
“As I mentioned, nonetheless, we’ve different priorities and I’m not happy with Stefanos’ work ethics. Proper now, I don’t assume his final focus is on enjoying tennis and attending to the highest of the rankings or successful Grand Slams. In order that’s why I can also’t journey for seven months straight, with solely 25 days at house, when the targets aren’t excessive and I’m touring simply to journey.
“I’ve sufficient work from home and I choose to distribute my vitality to completely different individuals in my day by day life, make them fitter and obtain what they need, with out stress.”
Tsitsipas set to begin his grass season in Halle
In the meantime, Tsitsipas is about to return to motion in Halle and kick off his grass season on the German ATP 500 event. On Saturday, the Halle principal draw was launched and Tsitsipas realized that he can be taking over German wildcard Henri Squire within the first spherical.
When Tsitsipas and world No. 178 Squire meet, it is going to be their first assembly. Nevertheless, it will not be Squire’s first match of the 12 months on grass because the 23-year-old German began his grass season at this week’s ATP 250 event in Stuttgart – the place he was overwhelmed by Yannick Hanfmann within the first spherical. Though Tsitsipas has by no means earlier than performed Squire or has performed any matches on grass this 12 months, he’ll nonetheless enter the match as the large favourite.
If Tsitsipas beats Squire, he’ll play within the round-of-16 in opposition to both Jan-Lennard Struff or Luca Darderi.
Prior to now, Tsitsipas made three Halle appearances and every time his marketing campaign completed within the round-of-16. However Tsitsipas has a good Halle path this 12 months and this might be the 12 months he lastly makes it previous the round-of-16 on the German grass event.
