The Greek tennis star Seriously Considered Walking Away During Pain-Filled Campaign
The athlete entered the previous US Open as the 26th seed.
Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed he thought about ending his career because of debilitating back issues during 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 and the 2023 Australian Open.
Currently placed 36th in the world following minimal competition post a early exit in New York in August, Tsitsipas indicated continuous medical care has begun yielding encouraging progress.
"My greatest anticipation lies in seeing how my body holds up under regular practice concerning my back," commented Tsitsipas.
"The biggest fear centered on if I could complete an encounter," the athlete continued, explaining the pain plagued him "over the last six to eight months."
"I would wonder, '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 was unable to walk for two days. That's when you begin to question the path ahead."
Tsitsipas further mentioned being content with the present treatment regimen following the completion of an extended period of off-season preparation 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, just before the season's first major.
"My main goal for 2026 is to not have concerns about finishing matches," he expressed.
"It provides fantastic feedback realizing you had an off-season in good health – I hope it continues. I aim to perform in 2026 and at the United Cup.
"I have done the work. The most important thing is complete faith in my ability to get back to my previous level. I will try all means to achieve that."
