The Greek tennis star Seriously Considered Retirement During Pain-Filled 2025 Season
The athlete entered the previous US Open as the 26th seed.
Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed he pondered ending his career because of debilitating spinal pain throughout the season.
At 27 years old, the player once ranked as high as third globally, finished as runner-up 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 post a early exit at the US Open in August, he stated that ongoing treatment has begun yielding positive results.
"I'm most excited is to observe how my body responds during regular practice concerning my back," commented Tsitsipas.
"My primary worry was whether I could complete an encounter," he added, explaining the pain had troubled him "over the last half a year or more."
"I kept asking, 'Can I compete in another match pain-free?'"
"I became truly frightened following the loss in Flushing Meadows [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I was unable to move for 48 hours. That's when you begin to question your career's future."
Tsitsipas further mentioned satisfaction regarding the present treatment regimen after finishing five weeks of off-season preparation completely pain-free.
He is scheduled to compete with the Greek team 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 across Australian cities from 2 to 11 January, just before the Australian Open.
"My main goal for 2026 would be to not have concerns over completing bouts," he expressed.
"It provides fantastic feedback realizing you completed an off-season in good health – I hope it continues. I want to deliver in 2026 and at the team championship.
"I have done the work. The most important thing is complete faith that I can return to where I was. I will attempt everything to achieve that."
