Stefanos Tsitsipas: Mats Wilander urges father Apostolos Tsitsipas to stop on-court coaching after Taylor Fritz win
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Updated 24/01/2022 at 14:25 GMT
Mats Wilander and Tim Henman have had their say on Stefanos Tsitsipas' father giving on-court coaching after the world No 4 received a violation during his win over Taylor Fritz. Stream the 2022 Australian Open live and on-demand on discovery+. A subscription for discovery+ is now £29.99 for the first year for UK users, down from £59.99.
Highlights: Tsitsipas sees off Fritz
Mats Wilander has urged Stefanos Tsitsipas’ father to stop giving on-court advice for the benefit of his son’s development.
Apostolos Tsitsipas is part of the world’s No 4’s coaching team and often appears to be giving out tactical tips to his son from the box during matches.
On-court coaching is not allowed on the ATP Tour and Tsitsipas was given a coaching violation in his Australian Open third-round win over Benoit Paire and his thrilling fourth-round victory over Taylor Fritz.
The umpire told Tsitsipas at the end of the fourth set against Fritz to talk to his father and tell him stop or he would get another violation.
“At some point his father needs to get out of there,” seven-time Grand Slam champion Wilander said on Eurosport.
“Let Stefanos figure things out himself. You can have a proper go through the match beforehand and afterwards, but Stefanos can solve the problems [during the match].
“The situation [with the umpire] happens and then in the fifth set Tsitsipas wins it 6-4. He plays a brilliant set, maybe the best set in the whole match.”
Tsitsipas dropped the first and third set against Fritz but fought back well to set up a quarter-final clash with 11th seed Jannik Sinner.
Former British No 1 Tim Henman agreed with Wilander that Tsitsipas’ father needs to cut down on the advice he is giving his son during matches.
“It will make Stefanos a better player if he works it out for himself.
“If he always has his dad in his ear saying ‘serve here, run there’ I don’t think he develops. To see the way that he played and behaved in the fifth set it was really impressive.”
Tsitsipas said last year that he believes “coaching on every point should be allowed in tennis”.
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“The sport needs to embrace it,” he wrote on Twitter. “We’re probably one of the only global sports that doesn’t use coaching during the play. Make it legal. It's about time the sport takes a big step forward.”
The idea was met with opposition by Nick Kyrgios, who called it “terrible”.
“The beauty of tennis is going out on the court alone,” said the Australian. “Some have chosen not to have a coach, some cannot afford to have a coach. On the tennis court there are equal conditions. I think that's the beauty of sport. “
Fabio Fognini complained to the umpire about Tsitsipas getting illegal coaching during their clash at Indian Wells last year. Although nothing came of the incident he exchanged angry words with the Greek after the match.
Tsitsipas looked exhausted at the end of his match against Fritz, who blasted 52 winners against 37 unforced errors.
“He did so well to hang in there,” added Henman.
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“It felt like Fritz was dominating from the back of the court but that mental fortitude, he just kept hanging in there and fighting and when he got his chances in the fifth he was able to take it.”
Tsitsipas said he was delighted to come through the match just a few months after undergoing elbow surgery.
“It’s a huge relief to be able to play without pain. I am full of joy to be competing at this level and play pain free with my elbow. I have had a few rough months in 2021 and I am happy that is no indication of my elbow pain when I play.”
Tsitsipas will face either Daniil Medvedev or Felix Auger Aliassime in the semi-finals if he gets past Sinner, who overcame Australian Alex de Minaur in straight sets in the fourth round.
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