Stefanos Tsitsipas was immediately rejected when he jokingly named the person he wanted to be his next coach
The world No. 12 recently ended his working relationship with his father Apostolos, who has coached him throughout his career.
Tsitsipas is now enjoying a weekend competing at the Laver Cup, where he tried to recruit his Team Europe captain
Bjorn Borg is set to step down from his captaincy after this year’s edition of the Laver Cup. The Swedish tennis legend has led the Europe squad since the tournament’s inception seven years ago.
But both he and Team World captain John McEnroe are enjoying a last hurrah in Berlin this weekend. As Borg looked ahead to the future, Tsitsipas confessed that he wanted the 11-time Grand Slam champion to mentor him.
Asked if he could take anyone in the world as his new coach, the Greek star smiled. “Right now? Bjorn,” he jokingly replied after beating Team World’s Thanasi Kokkinakis.
But the 68-year-old isn’t up for being a full-time coach, and he quickly refused the offer before turning his attention to the Europe squad. “No, but I think we have a good team spirit,” Borg said.
For me personally, I’m very old, but to spend time with these guys, and I have been doing that for many years, and I respect and I like the way they are as persons, not only tennis, but personality is very important. That’s why for him to be, my loss, yeah, to be this week together with me, it’s fantastic.”
Tsitsipas was touched by the retired star’s words and explained why he would enjoy working with Borg if the Swede ever wanted to become a coach. The 26-year-old added: “Thank you, Bjorn. The aura, it’s all about the aura.
“Why I choose Bjorn, it’s not because he’s sitting right next to me here. I feel like the aura makes a big difference. Sometimes it’s not what they tell you and how they tell you. It’s that intimacy that you feel of someone sitting next to you and communicating things to you in a spiritual way.
I feel like that’s something that I have enjoyed with Bjorn in the last few years, having played Laver Cup, and that is also why I keep coming back. I know that I have a great team captain by myself to support my tennis. That is also something that brings a lot of relief when I step out on the court.
“I know that there is this person by my side that I have massive respect for, but also, I want to make him proud. I really want to make Bjorn proud. I almost feel him as one of my close people.
But there will be no coaching on the cards. Borg is happy staying off the tennis circuit and returning for his week-long Laver Cup stints, and will likely still make the odd appearance at the tournament after ending his role as captain.
“For me, I have a family, I have kids, dogs, pets. I have all these things. I’m very happy with that,” Borg said when asked if he’d become a ‘super-coach’. “But to spend one week with these guys, I’m very happy. But that’s a different thing for me, because I’m old. I see a little bit myself in these guys, because they need some push and they need some advice.
