Mark Philippoussis Urges Tsitsipas to Channel Andre Agassi After Wimbledon Heartbreak
by Bill Giannopoulos · Greek City TimesAs Stefanos Tsitsipas waved goodbye to Wimbledon 2026 following a straight-sets second-round loss to Novak Djokovic (3-6, 4-6, 2-6), the Greek star’s former coach Mark Philippoussis delivered some blunt but hopeful advice for the road ahead.
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 — including his recent decision to remove his father Apostolos from the coaching team.
Philippoussis Speaks Out
In an interview with SDNA, Philippoussis — who worked with Tsitsipas for several months in 2023 — shared his unfiltered thoughts:
“I don’t know if this decision will help him, to be honest. Seeing him, it’s clear that he’s struggling to find his confidence. This is also visible in the tennis he plays.”
While wishing Tsitsipas well, the Australian legend stressed that the former world No. 3 must regain not just form but fighting spirit:
“At 28 it is not too late… 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.”
The Agassi Blueprint
Philippoussis drew a direct parallel to Andre Agassi’s 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.
“When you are number three in the world, everything is ideal… But when that stops, and you have to play in smaller tournaments… do you have the determination to go through this process and fight? Andre did it. He didn’t think he was above it.”
Philippoussis posed the key question facing Tsitsipas: Does he still possess that competitiveness and vision?
What’s Next for Tsitsipas?
Tsitsipas is already scheduled for clay-court ATP 250 events in Estoril and Gstaad. However, Philippoussis’ comments have sparked discussion about whether a strategic step down to a Challenger — such as the San Marino Open (Challenger 125) later in July — could provide the confidence boost and match wins the Greek needs.
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.
Philippoussis’ Final Word
“Actions never lie, and neither do results. We’ll see.”
The tennis world will be watching whether Tsitsipas embraces the humility and hard work his former coach recommends. At 27, the talent is still there — the question is whether the fire burns brightly enough for a comeback worthy of Agassi’s legacy.
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