Stefanos Tsitsipas Contemplated Retirement Amid Injury-Plagued 2025 Season
Stefanos Tsitsipas was the 26th seed at last year's US Open
Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed he pondered ending his career due to debilitating back issues during the season.
At 27 years old, the player once ranked as high as third globally, finished as runner-up to Novak Djokovic at both the 2021 French Open and 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 has begun yielding positive results.
"I'm most excited is to observe how my body holds up under regular practice with regard to my back," commented Tsitsipas.
"The biggest fear centered on if I was able to finish a match," the athlete continued, explaining the pain had troubled him "for the past six to eight months."
"I kept asking, 'Can I compete in another match pain-free?'"
"I became truly frightened after the defeat in Flushing Meadows [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I was unable to walk for 48 hours. 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 off-season preparation completely pain-free.
He is scheduled to compete for Greece at the team event, where they face Team Japan led by Osaka and the British team captained by Raducanu. The competition will be held in Perth and Sydney in early January, the week preceding the Australian Open.
"My main goal for 2026 would be to not have concerns about finishing matches," he stated.
"It is incredibly encouraging 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 most important thing is complete faith that I can return to my previous level. I will try all means to achieve that."
