"I told him to take some rest because physically, it's a disaster," Ivanisevic reflects on Tsitsipas' withdrawal at Wimbledon

Stefanos Tsitsipas, struggling with a back injury, couldn’t compete at 100% at Wimbledon. Forced to retire in the first round against Valentin Royer, the Greek player continues his rough patch, particularly in Grand Slam tournaments.

Now ranked 26th in the world, Tsitsipas is going through a tough time and has turned to Goran Ivanisevic to help him get back on track. Though results haven’t improved yet, the Croatian coach discussed his new protégé’s withdrawal in London and what Tsitsipas must do to bounce back quickly.

"I already expected him not to perform well at Wimbledon. He’s not in form, neither mentally nor physically. His situation is simple—if he changes things, especially off the court, he can come back. But if he doesn’t, no one can help him.

I can help him with tennis, but when it comes to things happening off the court, that’s something only he can fix himself. He needs to sort it out as soon as possible.

His biggest problem is his backhand, especially his slice. Technically, he also needs to work on his return. He changes rackets too often—he has to stop that. On his serve, he rotates his body too much and should keep his feet a bit closer together. From the outside, these are the main issues holding him back.

I told him to take some rest. He needs to recover from his back because, physically, it’s a disaster. I don’t understand how someone at his level can be in such poor physical shape.

If he sorts it out, he can think about playing again. He hasn’t completely forgotten how to play—after all, he won the Dubai tournament just a few months ago," Ivanisevic concluded in his interview with Punto De Break.