The Greek tennis star Seriously Considered Retirement During Pain-Filled 2025 Season
Stefanos Tsitsipas was the 26th seed at last year's US Open
Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed he pondered ending his career because of severe back issues during the season.
At 27 years old, the player once ranked as high as third globally, was a finalist to Novak Djokovic in the finals of the 2021 French Open alongside the 2023 Australian Open.
Now ranked as the world's 36th best player following minimal competition since his early exit in New York this past summer, he stated continuous medical care is finally showing positive results.
"I'm most excited is to observe how my training holds up under actual training with regard to my back," commented Tsitsipas.
"My primary worry centered on if I was able to finish a match," the athlete continued, noting the injury plagued him "over the last six to eight months."
"I would wonder, 'Can I compete in another match without discomfort?'"
"I became truly frightened following the loss in Flushing Meadows [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I could not to walk for two days. That is the moment begin to question the path ahead."
He also reported being content with the present treatment regimen following the completion of five weeks of pre-season training completely pain-free.
He is scheduled to compete for Greece at the team event, drawn against Team Japan led by Osaka and the Great Britain squad led by Emma Raducanu. The competition will be held in Perth and Sydney in early January, the week preceding the Australian Open.
"The greatest victory for 2026 would be to stop worrying over completing bouts," he stated.
"It provides fantastic feedback realizing you completed a pre-season without pain – I hope it continues. I aim to perform during the upcoming season and for the United Cup.
"The effort is invested. The crucial element is total belief that I can return to where I was. I will attempt everything to make it happen."
