Stefanos Tsitsipas Contemplated Retirement Amid Injury-Plagued 2025 Season
Stefanos Tsitsipas was the 26th seed at last year's US Open
Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed he thought about ending his career due to severe spinal pain throughout the season.
At 27 years old, the player once ranked as high as third globally, was a finalist to Novak Djokovic at both the 2021 French Open and the 2023 Australian Open.
Now ranked 36th in the world following minimal competition post a second-round departure at the US Open in August, he stated that ongoing treatment has begun yielding 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 was whether I was able to finish an encounter," the athlete continued, noting the injury had troubled him "over the last half a year or more."
"I would wonder, 'Am I able to play another contest pain-free?'"
"It was genuinely scary after the defeat in Flushing Meadows [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I could not to walk for two days. That is the moment begin to question the path ahead."
He also reported satisfaction regarding the present treatment regimen following the completion of five weeks of off-season preparation completely pain-free.
His next appearance for Greece in the United Cup, where they face Team Japan led by Osaka and the Great Britain squad led by Emma Raducanu. The competition takes place in Perth and Sydney in early January, just before the Australian Open.
"My main goal for 2026 is to stop worrying about finishing matches," he expressed.
"It is incredibly encouraging to know you completed an off-season in good health – I wish for it to last. I want to deliver in 2026 and at the team championship.
"The effort is invested. The crucial element is total belief that I can return to my previous level. I will attempt everything to make it happen."
