Stefanos Tsitsipas requested his mom to leave the stadium after she spoke Russian in his match at the 2023 Italian Open in Rome.
The relationship between parents and their kids who are professional athletes is well-known in the world of sports. On the ATP Tour, we know a few players that are coached by their parents and Stefanos Tsitsipas is one of them.
In his box, Apostolos Tsitsipas, his father, sits as the head coach, with his mother, Julia Apostoli, who is a former player, also offering her advice every now and then. Yet, Stefanos doesn’t always appreciate the help from his parents, and that’s understandable.
Tsitsipas was just broken in the first set, which he subsequently lost 5-7 when the interaction between him and his parents occurred. It wasn’t a remarkable shot or an injury that changed the game. It was the subtle instructions delivered from the sidelines by Tsitsipas’ mother, Julia Tsitsipas, in Russian.
A strange choice, given that her son’s opponent, Daniil Medvedev, is Russian. This moment of sideline commentary spread across the court and angered the Greek player.
