Stefanos Tsitsipas‘ former fitness trainer has savaged the under-performing Greek star for his ‘work ethic’.
Christos Fiotakis revealed this week that he was walking away from Tsitsipas’ team on the eve of Wimbledon.
Tstisipas did win the Monte Carlo Masters but he remains without a Grand Slam title and it now seems a French Open quarter-final defeat to eventual winner Carlos Alcaraz was the final straw for one of his travelling coaches.
‘I am not satisfied with Stefanos’ work ethic,’ Fiotakis told SDNA.
‘Right now I don’t think his ultimate focus is on playing tennis and getting to the top of the rankings or winning Grand Slams.
Stefanos Tsitsipas (back row, third from left) has been accused of not having the right ‘work ethic’ to be a Grand Slam champion by his former fitness trainer Christos Fiotakis (front, right)
Tsitsipas’ latest attempt to win a maiden Grand Slam title ending in the quarter-finals in Paris
‘So that’s why I too can’t travel for seven months straight, with only 25 days at home, when the goals are not high and I’m traveling just to travel.
‘I have enough work at home and I prefer to distribute my energy to different people in my daily life, make them fitter and achieve what they want, without stress.’
Four weeks ago Fiotakis sent a warning out on Instagram that he demanded the highest standards, alongside a video of Tsitsipas training.
‘You can control two things: your work ethic and your attitude about anything,’ he wrote in the caption.
‘Great athletes want to be driven, to be pushed to the edge. They don’t want to be cheated. Ordinary athletes want it to be easy!’
Tsitsipas has had plenty of upheaval away from the court in recent weeks having broken up, and then got back together, with girlfriend Paula Badosa.
Fiotakis (third from left, next to Tsitsipas) has quit the Greek’s team on the eve of Wimbledon
Now he is preparing for Wimbledon without his full-time fitness trainer in tow which will represent a real blow.
‘I am closing this circle, after I said that I will try to bring maximum results until Roland Garros. The results and goals I had set as a coach did not come,’ Fiotakis added.
‘However, we got Stefanos back on his feet, back to being a healthy athlete and competing at a high level after his injury. Beyond that there are some things that are out of my control.’
Mail Sport has reached out to Tsitsipas’ management for comment.
