Jim Courier offered some free coaching counsel to Stefanos Tsitsipas while commentating his match vs Bublik for Tennis Channel: “For too long, the weaknesses in his game have remained. His slice backhand, inadequate. His backhand return, inadequate. His inability on other surfaces to recognize that he should be standing back to hit second serve returns so he can hit more forehands, that’s a failure. He has not recognized that the game is moving past him and that he needs to continue to improve what shouldn’t be that difficult to improve from where I’m sitting.”
Jim Courier, who reached world no. 1 and won four Grand Slams from French Open 1991 to Australian Open 1993, was 22 years old when he won his last major and turned 23 in August 1993. Courier’s final Grand Slam final was Wimbledon 1993 at age 22. So it would appear Courier maxed out his peak tennis before he was 23.
Tsitsipas defeated Bublik today in straight sets. The 27 year old from Greece is ranked 80 in the world and has won 12 career titles. Tsitsipas played the 2021 French Open and 2023 Australian Open finals but fell short both times to Novak Djokovic. He was 22 and 24 years old in his two major finals.
Perhaps it’s possible Tsitsipas maxed out his peak tennis at around the same age as Courier did, before the age of 25. Courier’s last Grand Slam appearance was at 1999 US Open, a first round loss at age 29.
Or perhaps Jim Courier can see the fixable flaws and formulas to spark Tsitsipas to play the best tennis of his career in the future – if he wants to do that. Tsitsipas has already earned over $37m in career prize money and may not have the burning desire to be the best anymore.
Jim Courier · Stefanos Tsitsipas