"I owe him everything": Stefanos Tsitsipas praises father's coaching, admits his 'sacrifice' in his success

Greece’s tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas has opened up about relationship with his father. The 26-year-old was once regarded as the next big thing but has failed to live up to the expectations, largely because of inconsistent performances, especially in the recent past.

Tsitsipas used to work with his coach for a long time but, after a lean patch, decided to part ways with him. Since then, there have been rumours that neither of them has a great relationship off the pitch, which Apostolos Tsitsipas denied.

Stefanos, currently in Melbourne to feature in the Australian Open, recently quoted in a report by the English media outlet Daily Express, where he talked about his relationship with his father. The reigning world number 12 was full of praise for his father and admitted that he ‘sacrificed’ everything for him for the good part of the last decade. He also stated that he has a ‘great’ relationship with Apostolos and that he ‘owes’ him everything, both personally and professionally.

"Honestly, I don't want to answer any more questions about my father,” he said. “He has been an exceptional coach; I can only be grateful to him for what he did. He is a great person; he sacrificed everything for a decade and for his entire life, always enduring a lot of stress. Coming from a small country like Greece, with no tennis tradition, I am proud of how he brought me to the top and how we resolved the crucial moments. Those moments shaped me as a player; they were the years when I showed my true potential. I still think he is one of the best coaches in the world. We have a great relationship, but now I just need to continue on my own to mature as an adult. Beyond that, he remains a fundamental person for me, both professionally and personally, I owe him everything."