\n<\/p>\n
The 27-year-old Tsitsipas, once a consistent top-10 fixture and two-time Grand Slam finalist, has now suffered early exits in eight consecutive major tournaments. His live ranking has tumbled to 83rd, prompting soul-searching both on and off the court \u2014 including his recent decision to remove his father Apostolos from the coaching team.<\/p>\n
In an interview with SDNA, Philippoussis \u2014 who worked with Tsitsipas for several months in 2023 \u2014 shared his unfiltered thoughts:<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI don\u2019t know if this decision will help him, to be honest. Seeing him, it\u2019s clear that he\u2019s struggling to find his confidence. This is also visible in the tennis he plays.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
While wishing Tsitsipas well, the Australian legend stressed that the former world No. 3 must regain not just form but fighting spirit:<\/p>\n
\n\u201cAt 28 it is not too late\u2026 The most important thing is to stay healthy. However, he will need to do a lot of things to even approach the level he was at before. The road back is long.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
The Agassi Blueprint<\/h3>\n
Philippoussis drew a direct parallel to Andre Agassi\u2019s remarkable late-1990s comeback. After falling outside the top 100, Agassi humbled himself by competing in Challenger events in places like Las Vegas and Burbank. That grit fueled a resurgence that delivered five more Grand Slam titles and another lengthy spell at world No. 1.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWhen you are number three in the world, everything is ideal\u2026 But when that stops, and you have to play in smaller tournaments\u2026 do you have the determination to go through this process and fight? Andre did it. He didn\u2019t think he was above it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Philippoussis posed the key question facing Tsitsipas: Does he still possess that competitiveness and vision?<\/p>\n
What\u2019s Next for Tsitsipas?<\/h3>\n
Tsitsipas is already scheduled for clay-court ATP 250 events in Estoril and Gstaad. However, Philippoussis\u2019 comments have sparked discussion about whether a strategic step down to a Challenger \u2014 such as the San Marino Open (Challenger 125) later in July \u2014 could provide the confidence boost and match wins the Greek needs.<\/p>\n
Tsitsipas has historically thrived on clay (three-time Monte Carlo champion and French Open finalist). A strong showing at a slightly lower level could be the perfect springboard rather than rushing to harder North American swing events where he has struggled recently.<\/p>\n
Philippoussis\u2019 Final Word<\/strong>
\u201cActions never lie, and neither do results. We\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\nThe tennis world will be watching whether Tsitsipas embraces the humility and hard work his former coach recommends. At 27, the talent is still there \u2014 the question is whether the fire burns brightly enough for a comeback worthy of Agassi\u2019s legacy.<\/p>\n