The Greek tennis star Contemplated Walking Away During Injury-Plagued 2025 Season
Stefanos Tsitsipas was the 26th seed at last year's US Open
Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed he thought about ending his career due to debilitating spinal pain throughout the 2025 tennis year.
The 27-year-old, who has reached a career-high ranking of world number three, finished as runner-up against Novak Djokovic in the finals of the 2021 French Open and the 2023 Australian Open.
Currently placed 36th in the world following minimal competition post a early exit at the US Open this past summer, Tsitsipas indicated that ongoing treatment is finally showing encouraging progress.
"My greatest anticipation lies in seeing how my training holds up under actual training with regard to my injury," commented Tsitsipas.
"The biggest fear centered on if I was able to finish a match," he added, noting the injury had troubled him "for the past half a year or more."
"I would wonder, 'Am I able to play another contest without discomfort?'"
"I became truly frightened after the defeat in Flushing Meadows [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I could not to walk for two days. That is the moment start reconsidering the path ahead."
He also reported being content with the present treatment regimen following the completion of an extended period of pre-season training without any pain.
He is scheduled to compete for Greece at the team event, where they face Naomi Osaka's Japan and the British team led by Emma Raducanu. The competition will be held in Perth and Sydney from 2 to 11 January, just before the season's first major.
"My main goal for 2026 is to stop worrying over completing bouts," he expressed.
"It is incredibly encouraging realizing you completed an off-season without pain – I hope it continues. I aim to perform in 2026 and at the United Cup.
"The effort is invested. The crucial element is complete faith in my ability to get back to my previous level. I will try all means to achieve that."
