Tsitsipas erupts at father during Madrid Open match, calls him ‘idiot’ and ‘bastard’
Stefanos Tsitsipas secured a much-needed victory at the Madrid Open, but the win was overshadowed by a fiery confrontation with his father and coach, Apostolos Tsitsipas, during his second-round match against Alexander Bublik.
The Greek tennis star defeated the world No. 11 Bublik in straight sets, 6-2, 7-5, advancing to the third round of the clay-court tournament. The victory marked Tsitsipas’ first win over a Top 20 player on clay since the 2024 Paris Olympics and ended a frustrating streak of early-round exits.
Still, the match was marred by repeated on-court outbursts from Tsitsipas directed at his father, who was seated in the player’s box. Television cameras and broadcast audio captured the 26-year-old shouting profanity-laced insults in Greek and English, including phrases translated as “Go to hell, you bastard!” and “F*** off, idiot!”
The incident echoed a similar episode from Tsitsipas’ earlier match against lucky loser Patrick Kypson, where he received a point penalty for violating coaching rules after speaking with Apostolos between points. During that contest, chair umpire Marijana Veljovic warned Tsitsipas that any communication with his coach during play constituted a violation, regardless of discretion.
Despite the umpire’s explanation that talking to his coach between points was against ATP regulations — even if not disturbing his opponent — Tsitsipas continued to engage with Apostolos, leading to visible frustration. In the Kypson match, he was heard arguing: “Does it bother my opponent? As far as I know, coaching is allowed.” The umpire replied: “Yes, discreet. Stefanos, if he talks to you when you’re on this side, when you’re on that side — if he talks to you in the whole duration between the two points, that’s just way too much.”
Tsitsipas fired back: “Discreet? Is he bothering my opponent?” before being penalized a point in the third set. The pattern repeated during his match against Bublik, though no additional code violations were reported in the available sources for that specific contest.
The Tsitsipas-Apostolos partnership has been under scrutiny for months, with the elder Tsitsipas serving as his son’s primary coach despite ongoing tensions visible during matches. Their relationship has drawn attention not only for its familial complexity but also for repeatedly testing the boundaries of ATP coaching rules, which restrict communication between players and coaches during play.
Ahead of the Madrid Open, Tsitsipas had dropped to No. 80 in the ATP Rankings after suffering four opening-round defeats in five tournaments. His victory over Kypson broke a month-long losing streak, and the win over Bublik represented his first back-to-back match wins at the ATP Tour level since February.
The incident adds to a challenging period for the former world No. 3, who has struggled with consistency and form over the past year. While he has shown flashes of his former brilliance, emotional outbursts and disputes with his coaching team have frequently accompanied his matches.
Tsitsipas is scheduled to face either Felix Auger-Aliassime or Lorenzo Musetti in the third round of the Madrid Open, depending on the outcome of their respective second-round matches. The tournament continues through May 10 at the Caja Mágica in Madrid, Spain.
For ongoing coverage of the Madrid Open and updates on Stefanos Tsitsipas’ season, readers are encouraged to follow official ATP Tour channels and trusted sports news outlets.
What do you think about the Tsitsipas family’s coaching dynamic and its impact on his performance? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
