Stefanos Tsitsipas Contemplated Walking Away During Injury-Plagued 2025 Season

A competitive moment for Tsitsipas

The athlete entered the previous US Open as the 26th seed.

The tennis professional disclosed he thought about ending his career due to debilitating spinal pain throughout the season.

At 27 years old, the player once ranked as high as third globally, was a finalist against Novak Djokovic in the finals of the 2021 French Open and the 2023 Australian Open.

Now ranked 36th in the world after a limited schedule post a early exit at the US Open in August, Tsitsipas indicated continuous medical care is finally showing encouraging progress.

"My greatest anticipation is to observe how my training holds up under actual training with regard to my back," said Tsitsipas.

"My primary worry centered on if I could complete an encounter," the athlete continued, explaining the pain plagued him "over the last half a year or more."

"I would wonder, 'Can I compete another contest without discomfort?'"

"It was genuinely scary after the defeat in Flushing Meadows [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I could not to walk for 48 hours. That is the moment begin to question your career's future."

Tsitsipas further mentioned satisfaction regarding the present treatment regimen following the completion of five weeks of pre-season training completely pain-free.

His next appearance for Greece at the team event, where they face Team Japan led by Osaka and the British team led by Emma Raducanu. The tournament takes place across Australian cities from 2 to 11 January, just before the season's first major.

"The greatest victory for 2026 would be to stop worrying over completing bouts," he stated.

"It is incredibly encouraging realizing you had an off-season without pain – I hope it continues. I aim to perform during the upcoming season and for the team championship.

"The effort is invested. The most important thing is complete faith that I can return to my previous level. I will attempt everything to make it happen."

Shannon Houston
Shannon Houston

A Berlin-based environmental advocate and wellness coach, passionate about sharing sustainable living tips and holistic health practices.