The Greek tennis star Contemplated Retirement During Injury-Plagued Campaign
Stefanos Tsitsipas was the 26th seed at last year's US Open
The tennis professional disclosed he thought about quitting the sport due to severe back issues throughout the 2025 tennis year.
At 27 years old, the player once ranked as high as third globally, was a finalist against Novak Djokovic at both the 2021 French Open alongside the 2023 Australian Open.
Now ranked 36th in the world following minimal competition since his early exit in New York in August, Tsitsipas indicated continuous medical care has begun yielding positive results.
"My greatest anticipation is to observe how my training holds up under actual training concerning my back," said Tsitsipas.
"My primary worry centered on if I could complete a match," he added, noting the injury had troubled him "for the past half a year or more."
"I would wonder, 'Can I compete another contest pain-free?'"
"It was genuinely scary following the loss in Flushing Meadows [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I was unable to walk for 48 hours. That is the moment start reconsidering your career's future."
He also reported satisfaction regarding the present treatment regimen following the completion of an extended period of off-season preparation without any pain.
He is scheduled to compete for Greece in the United Cup, drawn against Naomi Osaka's Japan and the British team led by Emma Raducanu. The tournament will be held across Australian cities from 2 to 11 January, the week preceding the season's first major.
"The greatest victory next season would be to not have concerns about finishing matches," he expressed.
"It is incredibly encouraging realizing you completed a pre-season in good health – I wish for it to last. 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."
