The Greek tennis star Contemplated Retirement Amid Pain-Filled 2025 Season
Stefanos Tsitsipas was the 26th seed at last year's US Open
The tennis professional disclosed he thought about ending his career due to debilitating back issues throughout the 2025 tennis year.
The 27-year-old, who has reached a career-high ranking of world number three, finished as runner-up to Novak Djokovic in the finals of the 2021 French Open alongside the 2023 Australian Open.
Now ranked 36th in the world following minimal competition since his second-round departure in New York this past summer, he stated continuous medical care has begun yielding positive results.
"I'm most excited lies in seeing how my training responds during regular practice concerning my back," commented Tsitsipas.
"My primary worry was whether I could complete a match," he added, noting the injury plagued him "over the last six to eight months."
"I would wonder, 'Am I able to play in another match without discomfort?'"
"It was genuinely scary after the defeat at the US Open [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I was unable to walk for 48 hours. That is the moment start reconsidering the path ahead."
Tsitsipas further mentioned being content with his current recovery plan following the completion of an extended period of pre-season training completely pain-free.
He is scheduled to compete with the Greek team in the United Cup, drawn against Naomi Osaka's Japan and the British team led by Emma Raducanu. The tournament takes place in Perth and Sydney in early January, just before the season's first major.
"The greatest victory next season is to stop worrying over completing bouts," he stated.
"It is incredibly encouraging realizing you completed an off-season without pain – I wish for it to last. I want to deliver in 2026 and at the team championship.
"The effort is invested. The crucial element is complete faith that I can return to where I was. I will try all means to achieve that."