Stefanos Tsitsipas has once again found himself at the center of controversy after a dangerous shot struck an opponent in the face during the Madrid Open doubles event. The moment brought back memories of a similar incident from 2022, raising questions about the Greek star's composure on the court.
Back in Montreal two years ago, Tsitsipas let his frustration get the better of him. After falling behind early to Jack Draper, he was down 3-1 and serving at 30-30 when he made a baffling decision. Instead of playing it safe, he rifled a routine smash directly at a defenseless Draper—and missed the shot entirely, losing the point in a reckless display of anger.
Fast forward to this week in Madrid, and history repeated itself with even more alarming consequences. Tsitsipas teamed up with Luciano Darderi to face the French-Argentine duo of Manuel Guinard and Guido Andreozzi at the Arantxa Sanchez Stadium. The Greek-Italian pair had already won the opening set and were down 2-1 in the second when the incident occurred.
Andreozzi stepped up to serve while Guinard took his position at the net, ready to defend. What started as a routine rally quickly escalated. Tsitsipas and Darderi exchanged quick shots with Guinard, the pace intensifying with every swing. Then came the moment that stopped the match cold.
Tsitsipas unleashed a ferocious backhand aimed in Guinard's direction. The ball didn't find the court—it found the Frenchman's face instead. The impact was immediate and brutal. Guinard crumpled to the ground, clutching his face in visible pain, as the atmosphere shifted from competitive intensity to genuine concern.
All three players rushed to Guinard's side as the match referee hurried onto the court to assess the situation. For a tense moment, everyone held their breath, wondering how serious the injury might be. After a brief pause, Guinard managed to recover enough to continue, showing remarkable resilience.
Despite the scare, Guinard and Andreozzi regrouped impressively. They rallied back to win the match in three sets, with a final score of 7-5, 1-6, 9-11, turning a potentially dangerous moment into a hard-fought victory. For Tsitsipas, however, the incident serves as another reminder that on-court emotions can sometimes cross the line—with consequences that no one wants to see.