Stefanos Tsitsipas faces fresh drama as father Apostolos shuts down mother Julia during Madrid Open practice | International Sports News
Stefanos Tsitsipas was already under pressure because of his form. Now, a practice video from the Madrid Open has added more noise around him. In that clip, his father Apostolos Tsitsipas and mother Julia Salnikova were both on court, trying to guide him. But things quickly looked tense. Apostolos told Julia to stay quiet while she was giving instructions, and Stefanos kept practicing in the middle of it. The moment did not go unnoticed. Spanish tennis insider Jose Moron reacted strongly after watching the video. He felt the scene explained a lot about what has been going wrong for the Greek player in recent years.Tsitsipas, once ranked as high as World No. 3, is now down at No. 80. He has won 12 ATP singles titles and played two Grand Slam finals, but his level has dropped. Injuries, especially a serious back issue, and constant pressure have affected his game. At one point last year, he even said he was thinking about stepping away from tennis because of the pain. Now, this latest practice moment has raised fresh questions about what is happening inside his team.
Stefanos Tsitsipas, Apostolos Tsitsipas and Julia Salnikova draw attention after Madrid Open practice video goes viral
Jose Moron shared his honest reaction after watching the clip. He said, “When one watches this video, you can understand some of the things that happen to Tsitsipas. His mother, fully involved in the training, saying things, while his father tells her to shut up and leave him alone. Meanwhile, Stefanos tries to train 😰.”The comment quickly spread among tennis fans online. Many people felt the situation looked uncomfortable. Having both parents coaching at the same time can create confusion, especially during practice. For Stefanos Tsitsipas, it seemed like he was trying to stay focused while different voices were coming at him.This is not the first time his support system has been discussed. Apostolos Tsitsipas has been his long-time coach, but their on-court interactions have often been intense. Adding another strong voice in the form of his mother during training only made things more complicated in this case.Despite the off-court noise, Stefanos Tsitsipas showed some fight during the Madrid Open. His clay season had started badly. He lost early in Monte Carlo to Francisco Cerundolo in straight sets. Then in Munich, he went out in the first round again, losing to Fabian Marozsan even after winning the first set.Madrid was different. He had a tough start against Patrick Kypson and needed three sets to win, but he stayed calm and got through. After that, he looked much better. He beat Alexander Bublik and Daniel Merida Aguilar in straight sets, showing more control and confidence in his game.His run ended in the fourth round against Casper Ruud, the defending champion at the time. The match was close, and Tsitsipas kept up with Ruud for most of it. Even though he lost, it was a better performance compared to his earlier tournaments.Looking ahead, Tsitsipas will now play in Rome, which is the final big event before the French Open. This gives him one more chance to build rhythm on clay and improve his form.But the bigger question remains. Can he find stability within his team? Because moments like the one seen in Madrid suggest that the issues are not just about tennis. They may also be about what is happening around him.
