Stefanos Tsitsipas Contemplated Walking Away Amid Pain-Filled 2025 Season
Stefanos Tsitsipas was the 26th seed at last year's US Open
Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed he thought about quitting the sport because of severe spinal pain during the 2025 tennis year.
At 27 years old, the player once ranked as high as third globally, finished as runner-up 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 following minimal competition since his early exit in New York this past summer, he stated continuous medical care is finally showing encouraging progress.
"My greatest anticipation lies in seeing how my body responds during actual training with regard to my injury," 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, 'Am I able to play in another match pain-free?'"
"It was genuinely scary after the defeat in Flushing Meadows [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I was unable to walk for two days. That's when you begin to question the path ahead."
He also reported satisfaction regarding his current recovery plan following the completion of five weeks of off-season preparation completely pain-free.
He is scheduled to compete for Greece at the team event, where they face Team Japan led by Osaka and the British team captained by Raducanu. The competition will be held across Australian cities from 2 to 11 January, just before the Australian Open.
"The greatest victory for 2026 would be to not have concerns about finishing matches," he expressed.
"It provides fantastic feedback realizing you had an off-season without pain – I wish for it to last. I want to deliver in 2026 and at the team championship.
"I have done the work. The crucial element is complete faith in my ability to get back to my previous level. I will attempt everything to make it happen."
