He was a bit hurt because an athlete doesn't like criticism," Ivanisevic reflects on his comments about Tsitsipas
The collaboration between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Goran Ivanisevic began after Roland-Garros, but the initial results were unconvincing, with early exits in Halle (second round) and Wimbledon (first round).
After these two defeats, Ivanisevic didn’t hold back regarding his player’s physical condition, stating that Tsitsipas wasn’t sharp enough to be competitive. These remarks made waves across the tennis world, and the Croat revisited them in an interview with the media outlet *Gol*:
"He was a bit hurt because a tennis player or an athlete, when their ego is challenged a little too much, doesn’t like criticism. I told him that tennis is an individual sport.
To perform on the court, you have to be ready mentally and physically. He wasn’t at Wimbledon. Back problems and a million other issues. It’s a long journey. There’s no magic wand or trick. You just have to put in the work.
Davis Cup: between reforms, criticism and national culture 
When tennis stars change courts: from Noah the singer to Safin the deputy, another match – the battle of reinvention 
As a laboratory for tomorrow’s tennis, does the Next Gen Masters have a future? 
Tennis: the little-known truths about the offseason, between rest, stress and physical survival 
