Tsitsipas’ career – Yulia Salnikova says Stefanos Tsitsipas’ on-court decline is linked to his high-profile relationship with Paula Badosa, citing media pressure and competitiveness.
A fresh and unusually personal explanation has emerged behind Stefanos Tsitsipas’ sudden drop in form, with his mother blaming his past “power-couple” relationship for dragging his career down.
Greek tennis star Tsitsipas, 27, climbed as high as world No 3 and reached finals at the Australian Open and French Open in 2023 and 2021. Since then, his ranking has slipped sharply, with him now placed 75th in the world—an apparent downturn his own mother believes she understands well.
Yulia Salnikova pointed directly at Tsitsipas’ relationship with Paula Badosa. describing the connection as a burden rather than a support system.. She said they “were a good couple. ” but argued that Tsitsipas was pushing himself too hard while in the relationship. turning partnership into pressure instead of stability.
Their romance was also highly visible, moving beyond the usual athlete-media ecosystem.. Tsitsipas and Badosa were frequently in the spotlight through magazine photo shoots and even created a joint “Tsitsidosa” Instagram account to engage fans.. Salnikova suggested that the constant attention—along with photos. social media and media focus—built up over time and weighed on her son even if he appeared comfortable with it on the surface.
In Salnikova’s telling, the impact was gradual rather than immediate: she said the public routine and relentless attention “gradually affected him,” and that although Tsitsipas claimed he liked the situation, the internal strain was mounting.
The mother’s remarks also connect to what has unfolded since their final separation last year. when both players faced significant personal and professional hurdles.. Tsitsipas’ dating life has continued to generate headlines. and he is now in a relationship with Kristen Thoms. a former college tennis player.. Salnikova indicated she approves of the new influence. praising Thoms as someone who understands tennis. has played at university level. and has built a career in marketing and representation.
Meanwhile, Badosa—previously the women’s world No 2—has also struggled with injuries and has been linked to the idea of considering retirement at 28. Salnikova’s comments frame the split as part of a broader period of strain that hit both players.
Badosa’s latest response to Tsitsipas’ public stance about dating also underlined the sense of mutual sentiment.. Tsitsipas, answering questions on social media, said he would prefer a “non-tennis girlfriend,” adding that competitiveness is always present.. Badosa reacted to his remarks with four laughing emojis on the post, which supporters read as matching her own feelings.
The relationship timeline behind the split adds another layer to the story. Tsitsipas and Badosa initially parted in an “amicable” way in May 2024. However, they reportedly returned together within three weeks, reigniting interest and bringing their highly public dynamic back into focus.
By July last year, the relationship ended again.. A report in a Spanish mass-market magazine described the breakup as something that “just happened” after both players lost in the first round in London at Wimbledon. with the situation unfolding alongside injuries and professional turbulence.. The same report said there were no third parties or family influences. while also characterising the separation as mature and rooted in circumstances rather than betrayal.
Other remarks surrounding that second break up suggested the couple had found it hard to make the relationship work amid recurring issues tied to injuries.. The description emphasised that the pair had both suffered through difficult stretches and that “ghosts from the past” were present in the form of the injuries they had experienced.
For Tsitsipas, the reported personal strain arrives during a phase of ranking decline that contrasts sharply with his earlier peak.. Reaching the finals at two major events and rising to No 3 made his subsequent fall all the more striking. and Salnikova’s argument points to off-court factors as part of the explanation.
Her comments also reflect a wider reality in elite sport: when two high-level athletes share attention both in public and on social media. the relationship can become intertwined with performance pressure.. If the partnership is accompanied by relentless coverage and constant content production. the mental load may increase even when both players appear engaged and upbeat publicly.
At the same time. Tsitsipas’ shift toward dating outside the women’s pro circuit aligns with his own stated preference and the message he offered on social media about competitiveness.. For fans and analysts. it raises the question of how much an athlete’s day-to-day environment influences their ability to stay focused during periods of form dips.
For Badosa. the injury setbacks and consideration of retirement at 28 underline how quickly conditions can change in a sport where physical fitness is decisive.. Her previous status as world No 2 only heightens the narrative of sudden difficulty. and it helps explain why the personal decisions around her relationship have remained a major talking point.
With both players now navigating new chapters—Tsitsipas with Kristen Thoms and Badosa after her latest split—Salnikova’s remarks suggest that whatever happens next on court, the fallout from the “Tsitsidosa” era still shapes how her son’s career trajectory is being interpreted.
Stefanos Tsitsipas Yulia Salnikova Paula Badosa tennis ranking injury struggles Kristen Thoms relationship pressure