Stefanos Tsitsipas rehires Mark Philippoussis only months after parting ways

Only months after parting ways, Stefanos Tsitsipas has rehired Mark Philippoussis as his coach.

Tsitsipas began working with former top-10 player Philippoussis in February 2020, and their partnership was a successful one, with the World No. 5 reaching the final at this year’s Australian Open and the 2021 French Open. During this period, he also won his first grasscourt title at the 2022 Mallorca Championships.

However, Philippoussis took to social media in May to announce that he split with Tsitsipas. The former Wimbledon runner-up thanked the Greek star for the opportunity to work together and wished him the best in the future.

“Stefanos Tsitsipas thank for the opportunity of being a part of your team. It was a great ride and experience, I’m proud of what we achieved together in the short amount of time we had. I wish you health, happiness and success for your future, on and off the court!” he wrote in an Instagram post.

Later, on the sidelines of the French Open, Tsitsipas explained his decision to stop working with Philippoussis. He stated that it was a mutual decision and cited a 'less is more approach' going forward.

“Well, it was a mutual decision. We spent countless of hours on the phone talking a few weeks ago. It’s never easy having two coaches on the court. I know they are there to help and give the best they can, and provide for me. But sometimes it can get quite kind of hectic having two coaches share opinions,” he said at a press conference.

“I’m at a phase of my career in life where I need one coach that can provide all the information, all the analysis, all of the things that I’m looking for to improve my game. Less is more, in my opinion,” he added.

His father, Apostolos Tsitsipas, is the 'one coach' he referred to in his press conference.

In what has come as a surprise development, Greek publication SDNA has now reported that the two have decided to rejoin forces. Philippoussis was recently spotted in Los Cabos with Tsitsipas.

The report states that there is a new arrangement with Tsitsipas' coaching setup. While Philippoussis will take turns with Apostolos to accompany Tsitsipas to tournaments, with Grand Slams being the only events where both will be seen together.

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Stefanos Tsitsipas' coach Mark Philippoussis charged with breach of betting sponsorship rules

Mark Philippoussis was recently found in violation of tennis betting sponsorships rules.

Stefanos Tsitsipas' coach Mark Philippoussis was recently found in violation of tennis betting sponsorships rules and was fined $10,000 and also handed a four-month suspended ban. The breach is said to have taken place after he received payment for providing a voiceover to promotional content for a gaming operator.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) bars the Australian from pursuing any commercial relationships with them owing to him being an "accredited individual".

"Whilst this case is clearly not one of corruption, it is a rule that players, coaches, and others in the sport need to be aware of," ITIA CEO, Karen Moorhouse said in a statement.

The four-month suspended ban, which came into effect on July 21, will remain dormant if there is no further breach of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme during the stipulated period.