Stefanos Tsitsipas Contemplated Retirement During Pain-Filled Campaign
The athlete entered the previous US Open as the 26th seed.
Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed he pondered quitting the sport because of debilitating spinal pain throughout the 2025 tennis year.
At 27 years old, the player once ranked as high as third globally, finished as runner-up to Novak Djokovic in the finals of the 2021 French Open alongside the 2023 Australian Open.
Currently placed 36th in the world after a limited schedule post a second-round departure at the US Open in August, Tsitsipas indicated continuous medical care is finally showing encouraging progress.
"My greatest anticipation lies in seeing how my body holds up under actual training concerning my back," said Tsitsipas.
"The biggest fear centered on if I could complete an encounter," the athlete continued, noting the injury had troubled him "over the last six to eight months."
"I kept asking, 'Am I able to play in another match without discomfort?'"
"It was genuinely scary following the loss in Flushing Meadows [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I was unable to move for 48 hours. That's when you start reconsidering the path ahead."
He also reported being content with the present treatment regimen following the completion of an extended period of off-season preparation completely pain-free.
He is scheduled to compete with the Greek team at the team event, where they face Team Japan led by Osaka and the Great Britain squad led by Emma Raducanu. The competition will be held across Australian cities in early January, the week preceding the season's first major.
"My main goal next season is to not have concerns about finishing matches," he expressed.
"It is incredibly encouraging realizing you completed a pre-season in good health – I hope it continues. I want to deliver during the upcoming season and for the United Cup.
"The effort is invested. The most important thing is total belief in my ability to get back to my previous level. I will try all means to make it happen."
