Goran Ivanisevic’s wife, Nives Ivanisevic, posted a heartfelt message on her Instagram story. She wrote “Good luck guys” with clover emojis, showing support for her husband and his new student, Stefanos Tsitsipas. This message came after the newly formed pair started training together in Zagreb, marking the beginning of tennis’s next big success story.
The timing couldn’t be better as Tsitsipas desperately needs to get back to his best form, taking help from Ivanisevic. The Croatian coach has years of top-level experience, both as a player and a mentor. This partnership officially debuts at the Halle Open, where the grass specialist aims to improve Tsitsipas’s weakest surface.
New Partnership with Goran Ivanisevic Brings Fresh Hopes for Stefanos Tsitsipas
Stefanos Tsitsipas has been training with Goran Ivanisevic since Wednesday in Zagreb. According to sources, these two have been getting along quite well as they prepare for the grass court season. “Goran is very honest, I appreciate that and I want that in our partnership. Honesty and transparency between the player and the coach,” Tsitsipas said about his new coach.
The 26-year-old player needs a fresh start as he dropped to 26th in the world rankings, the lowest he has been on the ATP List since 2018. Tsitsipas has a concerning record of 18-11 this season, along with a second-round exit from the French Open 2025 against Matteo Gigante. All these stats highlight the recent struggle he has been going through following the split from his father as coach in 2024 at the Canadian Open.
While talking about Stefanos Tsitsipas’s current form, Ivanisevic gave an honest asnwer, saying “I can’t say he’s in the best shape right now. He’s too good a player to be here and playing the way he’s playing right now.” The 53-year-old coach expects to see some improvement in Tsitsipas by mid-July when they head to Umag together.
The Struggling Star Stefanos Tsitsipas Meets the Champion Coach
The Croatian coach knows what it takes to win at the highest level. He won Wimbledon in 2001 as a wildcard ranked 125th in the world. Ivanisevic made history, becoming the only wildcard and the second unseeded player ever to claim the men’s singles title. He is known for his powerful left-handed serves and has held the Wimbledon aces record for nearly two decades.
Ivanisevic led Novak Djokovic to 12 Grand Slam titles during their six-year partnership from 2019 to 2024. He also led Marin Cilic to the 2014 US Open title and has previously worked with top players such as Tomas Berdych and Milos Raonic.
Grass courts have been a big challenge for Tsitsipas, which is evident by his record 31-21 on the surface. So far, his best Wimbledon result is a fourth-round finish in 2018, showing room for improvement.
The upcoming Halle Open stands as the first test of this newly formed partnership between Goran Ivanisevic and Stefanos Tsitsipas. With Wimbledon scheduled for later this month, the Croatian’s advice could help Tsitsipas improve his performance on grass courts.