Stefanos Tsitsipas Contemplated 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 due to severe spinal pain during the 2025 tennis year.
The 27-year-old, who has reached a career-high ranking of world number three, was a finalist against Novak Djokovic in the finals of the 2021 French Open alongside the 2023 Australian Open.
Now ranked as the world's 36th best player after a limited schedule post a early exit at the US Open in August, Tsitsipas indicated continuous medical care is finally showing positive results.
"I'm most excited lies in seeing how my training responds during actual training with regard to my injury," commented Tsitsipas.
"My primary worry was whether I was able to finish a match," he added, noting the injury had troubled him "over the last half a year or more."
"I kept asking, 'Am I able to play in another match pain-free?'"
"I became truly frightened following the loss at the US Open [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I could not to move for two days. That's when you start reconsidering your career's future."
He also reported being content with the present treatment regimen following the completion of five weeks of pre-season training without any pain.
His next appearance with the Greek team in the United Cup, drawn against Team Japan led by Osaka and the Great Britain squad captained by Raducanu. The tournament takes place across Australian cities in early January, the week preceding the season's first major.
"The greatest victory next season would be to not have concerns over completing bouts," he stated.
"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 United Cup.
"The effort is invested. The crucial element is complete faith in my ability to get back to my previous level. I will attempt everything to achieve that."