Stefanos Tsitsipas was able to overcome the tricky test of former Madrid Open finalist Jan-Lennard Struff.
Tsitsipas retired at the Barcelona Open due to injury, but has quickly been able to bounce back in his opening match in Madrid.
Despite not officially in his team yet, the rumors continue to circulate about a potential coaching partnership between Tsitsipas and Goran Ivanisevic.
Ivanisevic was often vocal on court, something that Tsitsipas was also spotted doing both during and after his match against Struff.
Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty ImagesStefanos Tsitsipas slams the Madrid Open courts after his win over Jan-Lennard Struff
Tsitsipas was struggling in the first set of his match against Struff, which he lost 6-3 after being broken twice.
Not only did his German opponent not lose a single point on his first serve during that set, but Tsitsipas was also very vocal about his disapproval of the courts at the Madrid Open.
When speaking to the chair umpire, Tsitsipas could be heard saying, “It’s insane having to play like this. You have better conditions in Hammamet than here, you know?”
He added, “I play clay tournaments all year. But this… I haven’t seen this in Rome, I haven’t seen this in Monte-Carlo, never. This is the first time I have experienced it in two or three years. Can you at least tell me something about this? It’s crazy, it’s really weird.”
Tsitsipas was able to fight back and beat Struff, 3-6 6-4 6-3, but still did not hold back when asked about the courts in the media mixed zone.
“The court was unplayable today; it felt like an ice rink when I tried to slide,” claimed Tsitsipas. “I’ve never felt anything like that on a clay court.
“It’s a different type of clay than what’s usually used; I have a lot of experience on this surface, and it’s frustrating to play like that.”
Stefanos Tsitsipas claims the ATP calendar needs to be changed
The Madrid courts are not the only thing that Tsitsipas is not happy with, as he also vocalised his opinions on the current ATP calendar.
Tsitsipas has previously been critical of the ATP due to the two week Masters 1000 tournaments, with the two-time major finalist now doubling down on that.
The 26-year-old also criticized the mandatory nature of these tournaments, with players risking a fine or ranking point deductions if they do not provide a satisfactory reason for withdrawal.
“We have to adjust the calendar, it’s something very necessary,” said Tsitsipas. “We understand that there are contracts that must be respected, but there are many Masters 1000s throughout the year and they are also mandatory.
“I once had to play Indian Wells and Miami without being 100% and the truth is that it wasn’t a good experience.”
Absolutely peak Tsitsipas behavior to be so in his own world that he didn’t realize he won 😂
Confidence boosting 3 set comeback victory for the Greek against former finalist Jan-Lennard Struff who had beaten Stef 4x before pic.twitter.com/zxUfeV5eKE
— TennisONE App (@TennisONEApp) April 26, 2025
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Although Tsitsipas is not pleased with some things on the ATP Tour at the moment, he has made it through to the third round of the Madrid Open.
That is where he will play Lorenzo Musetti, who beat Tsitsipas recently at the Monte Carlo Masters.