{"id":91814,"date":"2025-07-25T16:28:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-25T16:28:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/91814\/"},"modified":"2025-07-25T16:28:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T16:28:10","slug":"tsitsipas-chooses-his-myth-phoenix-or-sisyphus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/91814\/","title":{"rendered":"Tsitsipas chooses his myth: Phoenix or Sisyphus"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stefanos Tsitsipas<\/a>\u2018 choice is simple. He can be the Phoenix. Or he can become Sisyphus.<\/p>\n

If the gods of Olympus forced us to read only one tennis website out of all those available, reading CLAY<\/strong> would be a good choice these days: for Sasa Ozmo\u2019s interview with Goran Ivanisevic<\/a>, which triggered the end of Tsitsipas\u2019 fragile player-coach relationship with Ivanisevic. And because of Vicky Georgatou\u2019s subsequent interview with Tsitsipas, <\/a>in which it became clear that the Greek loves tennis and does not like \u2018dictators\u2019.<\/p>\n

With his return to the arms of Apostolos Tsitsipas, his father, the Greek is making a key decision in his career. The Phoenix, a mythical creature in several civilisations, including ancient Greece, symbolises resilience, rebirth from the ashes and triumph. Sisyphus, on the other hand, was betrayed time and time again by the same rock just as he was about to reach his goal, success, after having carried it almost to the top of the mountain. A monotonous and eternal repetition of failure.<\/p>\n

Beyond what Ivanisevic says \u2013 \u2018his biggest problem is his backhand, especially the slice, technically he needs to adjust his grip a little\u2019 \u2013 anyone who sees Tsitsipas play understands that there is great talent and a figure with a lot of potential. He has tennis, elegance, charisma and drama. And although he is far from having achieved all he could have, Tsitsipas is the best tennis player of all time in his country, former world number three and finalist in two Grand Slams.<\/p>\n

Ivanisevic\u2019s relationship with Tsitsipas was doomed to fail, basically because the player himself was not convinced: it is no coincidence that it took him months to finalise the long-announced relationship. Nor is it a coincidence that it lasted so little.<\/p>\n

Tsitsipas didn\u2019t want to hear what Ivanisevic had to say.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no magic wand. But off the court, you have to take responsibility and make decisions, because everything is reflected on the court. You can\u2019t play a Slam, or any tournament, if you\u2019re not 100% focused. You have to think about your drive and your backhand, not 77 other things that have nothing to do with tennis.\u2018<\/p>\n

And in case it wasn\u2019t clear to the Greek, the 2001 Wimbledon champion went even further in his interview with Sasa Ozmo: \u2019He has to start resolving these issues as soon as possible. When he does, he\u2019ll be where he deserves to be. If he doesn\u2019t \u2014 and I\u2019ve said this six times \u2014 no one will be able to help him.\u2018<\/p>\n

Will Apostolos, whom Tsitsipas fired less than a year ago as his coach, saying terrible things,<\/a> help him?<\/p>\n

\u2019I had to apologise to him because I was clearly wrong,\u201d Tsitsipas said in his interview with Vicky Georgatou. \u2018Now we\u2019ve found a new way to communicate and talk to each other so that this doesn\u2019t happen again and the tension doesn\u2019t build up. I love my father with all my heart and what he has done over the years is truly extraordinary.\u2019<\/p>\n

And after the brief experience with Ivanisevic, what do you say?<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s about having people with a common vision, who know how hard we work and what we want to achieve, but who also maintain a pleasant atmosphere at all times. It\u2019s very difficult to be surrounded by dictators and people who speak negatively<\/a> and don\u2019t make you feel like family.\u2019<\/p>\n

Clear as day. But Ivanisevic disagrees with the \u2018dictator\u2019 comment and stands by every word he said.<\/p>\n

\u2018He got carried away, I didn\u2019t insult him\u2026 I said all that to him, I didn\u2019t say it behind his back. Now it seems you can\u2019t say anything anymore. I said it sincerely, to provoke a reaction. That\u2019s how this generation is. Unfortunately, that\u2019s the way it is, everyone can see it,\u2019 Ivanisevic told Croatian television HRT.<\/p>\n

\u2018He feels it too, and he knows it. If you\u2019re not mentally, physically and emotionally prepared, especially mentally, to play for hours with the best, you have no chance of playing tennis. He wasn\u2019t mentally prepared to play at Wimbledon, I hope he finds his way. I wish him all the best, we know the results he\u2019s had, he hasn\u2019t forgotten how to play tennis.\u2019<\/p>\n

Away from Spain\u2019s Paula Badosa, his partner in recent years, and unable to cope with the harsh honesty of a coach like Ivanisevic, Tsitsipas returns at the age of 26 to where it all began, back into the arms of Apostolos. Phoenix or Sisyphus, only time will tell.<\/p>\n

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