"All I do is live and breathe tennis" - Stefanos Tsitsipas defends himself against ex-fitness coach's "strange" criticism about his lack of work ethic
Stefanos Tsitsipas has defended himself against his former fitness coach Christos Fiotakis' complaints about his apparent lack of work ethic. The Greek affirmed his commitment to tennis, emphasizing the immense effort he puts into his career.
Following his quarterfinal exit at the 2024 French Open, Tsitsipas parted ways with his former fitness coach Christos Fiotakis. The split turned contentious when Fiotakis explained the reasons behind their split, expressing regret over not being able to join the Greek for his campaign at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
However, Fiotakis revealed that he couldn't continue working with Stefanos Tsitsipas because of their conflicting priorities. He also criticized the World No. 11's work ethic, claiming that he isn't focused on winning Grand Slam titles or attaining the World No. 1 ranking.
"As I said, however, we have other priorities and I am not satisfied with Stefanos' work ethics. Right now I don't think his ultimate focus is on playing tennis and getting to the top of the rankings or winning Grand Slams," he told SDNA.
The 25-year-old addressed his split with Christos Fiotakis in a recent interview with SDNA, clarifying that they parted ways because their contract was due to expire after the French Open.
"Anyway our last written agreement expired after Roland Garros and we would see if we could continue. We had made a contract from the beginning of January until the end of Roland Garros," Stefanos Tsitsipas said.
Stefanos Tsitsipas also refuted Fiotakis' claims about his lack of work ethic, asserting that it is "strange" for his former fitness coach to question his dedication to his career when he "lives and breathes" tennis.
While the Greek acknowledged that Fiotakis had a right to his opinion, he mentioned his decision to hire people that are more "specialized" in tennis.
"It was his decision to come out and say what he said. I work hard every day and when I hear someone say that I'm not putting in the work and that I'm not dedicated and focused on what I'm doing, it seems a little strange to me. All I do all day is live and breathe tennis," he said.
"Others may have a different view of what I do, I won't go against it. It is his right to believe anything about me. I have higher expectations from the quarterfinals of Roland Garros and I really believe that I can achieve more. Just because I didn't make it this year, doesn't mean it's the end of the world. I will try to have people next to me who are more specialized in tennis," he added.
"It's me and my father, I never needed a trainer at the tournaments" - Stefanos Tsitsipas on not replacing former fitness coach
In the same interview, Stefanos Tsitsipas revealed that he will not be seeking a replacement for his former fitness coach Christos Fiotakis, explaining that he only travels with his father and coach Apostolos and doesn't need a trainer on the road with them.
"No, it's me and my father. Anyway, I never needed a trainer at the tournaments and it's something I've said from the beginning, that I don't need to travel with a trainer to the events," Stefanos Tsitsipas said.
The Greek also emphasized his belief that all the fitness work should be completed before a tournament instead of on-site, asserting that his physiotherapist can handle the fitness program moving forward.
"For me the fitness work has to be done in preparation, in the week before I leave for the tournament. If there is anything more to add, then this can be done in a gap that may exist before the tournament starts or on a day off," he said.
"This, of course, can also be done by the physiotherapist, who usually has little knowledge of fitness and all he can do is follow a program that will be given to him," he added.
Stefanos Tsitsipas is set to continue his pursuit of his maiden Grand Slam title at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, taking on Taro Daniel in his opening match.