Out of the Doldrums

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Out of the Doldrums: Stefanos Tsitsipas

Every tennis player knows the feeling.

Your game flattens. Your motivation dips. Shots that once sang off your strings now thud into the net.
You’ve hit the doldrums—no wind in your sails, no spark in your step.

But what separates champions from the rest isn’t immunity to these phases—
it’s how they rise from them.

Tsitsipas: From Stalled to Surging

Stefanos Tsitsipas knows this terrain well.

Once hailed as a future world No. 1, the Greek star watched his ascent slowed—first by the legends (Federer, Nadal, Djokovic), then by the meteoric rise of Sinner and Alcaraz. His results dipped. Confidence wavered. Internal tension brewed.

But now, as he returns to Monte Carlo and the crushed red clay that shaped his game, Tsitsipas isn’t just chasing wins.

He’s crafting a rebirth.

“A cleansing of the soul,” he once said about stepping onto a freshly swept clay court.

It’s more than poetic. It’s deeply personal.
Clay gives him peace. It’s where he feels most at home—and most himself.

Rebuild. Reconnect. Rise.

This spring, Tsitsipas arrives in Monaco with a fresh outlook:

  • A new racket

  • A new coach

  • A new mindset

  • And most importantly, a new joy

“It just feels good playing, regardless of what’s gonna happen,” he shared.
“It feels good trying to find a solution, trying to fight on the court, being out there, in my playground.”

This isn’t surface-level optimism—it’s rooted in real change.

The Courage to Evolve

After parting ways with his longtime coach and father, Apostolos, Tsitsipas started from scratch. He reconnected with his childhood mentor. He brought family into his fitness team. He tackled technical flaws—reworking his backhand return and tweaking his serve.

And for the first time in nearly a decade, he made the bold decision to switch rackets.

Likely moving to the Babolat Pure Aero 98, the change gave him better control, more power, and fresh confidence.

“It’s a courageous change,” said new coach Dimitris Chatzinikolaou.
“And that courage comes with rewards.”

The results followed.
In Dubai, Tsitsipas captured his first title in over a year—not by overpowering, but by outlasting players like Berrettini and Khachanov in gritty, pressure-packed matches.

A Blueprint for Change

His story mirrors the principles from Atomic Habits by James Clear.
True transformation comes not from grand gestures, but from consistent, small changes:

  • Make it Obvious: New gear, new team, new rituals

  • Make it Attractive: Reconnect with the past, rediscover the surface

  • Make it Easy: Simplify technique, trust routines

  • Make it Satisfying: Play with joy, not just for results

Your Move

Tsitsipas isn’t promising titles. He’s not chasing perfection.

He’s rediscovering love for the game—on the court that raised him.
That’s the real win.

And maybe, just maybe, it’s the message we all need.

When your tennis—or your life—feels stuck…

Change a drill.
Refresh your routine.
Find a cue.
Trust the process.

The doldrums aren’t the end. They’re the pause before momentum returns.

And like Tsitsipas, your playground might still hold magic.