Stefanos Tsitsipas has opened up on his decision to rehire coach Mark Philippoussis just months after they initially parted ways, as the pair travel together to the National Bank Canadian Open in Toronto.

World No. 4 Tsitsipas has had a strong season so far, from reaching the Australian Open to winning his 10th ATP title at the Los Cabos Open last week.

The Greek player is now preparing to play at the ATP 1000 event in Canada, where he will face Gael Monfils in his opening round tomorrow. Speaking in his pre-tournament press conference, Tsitsipas spoke about the familiar face accompanying him.  

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Tsitsipas wants to 'maximise' on career

The 24-year-old has worked with Philippoussis since February 2020, but split with the Australian in May this year, adopting a 'less is more' approach whereby he would be coached primarily by his father Apostolos, who has been training Tsitsipas since his childhood.

However, the pair have since re-joined forces, and Philippoussis is currently accompanying Tsitsipas at the Canadian Open, while his father stays home. Speaking about this U-turn, Tsitsipas said:

"It's time to keep exploring new things. And I'm open minded and I want to learn as much as I can to maximise on my career because I have felt at times stagnant.

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"Mark is a parent himself. He's not my father, but he's been through a lot of moments in his own personal career that he can identify and capture better in certain ways. He is an incredible human being. He has helped me a lot. He has been there for me. Even when people didn't see him around, he has been there behind closed doors in private. And he's a big addition to our team."

Tsitsipas' father having a break

Meanwhile, Tsitsipas explained that his father was enjoying some well-deserved time off, but is still very much part of his coaching team:

"My father right now, I gave him some time off. He hasn't had time off since I'm 12 years old. I think for him, it's very healthy to take some time away from the court and feel refreshed again."

Tsitsipas also opened up on the emotional strain coaching can take on a parent working with their child:

"Parents can get emotional sometimes, and I completely understand that. I'm not a parent myself, but I can imagine how difficult it can be at times seeing your child give it their all and to be going through so much during a match.

"I love him and I want him to be part of that journey that we have built together, and he's not going anywhere. He's still with us, and he's still there following our path and journey."