Stefanos Tsitsipas Contemplated Retirement Amid Pain-Filled 2025 Season
The athlete entered the previous US Open as the 26th seed.
Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed he thought about ending his career because of severe spinal pain during the 2025 tennis year.
The 27-year-old, who has reached a career-high ranking of world number three, finished as runner-up to Novak Djokovic at both the 2021 French Open and the 2023 Australian Open.
Currently placed as the world's 36th best player after a limited schedule since his second-round departure at the US Open this past summer, he stated continuous medical care is finally showing encouraging progress.
"My greatest anticipation is to observe how my training responds during regular practice concerning my injury," commented Tsitsipas.
"My primary worry was whether I was able to finish a match," he added, explaining the pain had troubled him "for the past half a year or more."
"I kept asking, 'Am I able to play in another match pain-free?'"
"It was genuinely scary after the defeat at the US Open [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I could not to walk for 48 hours. That's when you start reconsidering the path ahead."
Tsitsipas further mentioned being content with the present treatment regimen following the completion of five weeks of pre-season training without any pain.
His next appearance with the Greek team in the United Cup, where they face Team Japan led by Osaka and the Great Britain squad captained by Raducanu. The tournament will be held in Perth and Sydney from 2 to 11 January, just before the Australian Open.
"My main goal for 2026 would be to stop worrying over completing bouts," he expressed.
"It provides fantastic feedback to know you had a pre-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 most important thing is complete faith that I can return to my previous level. I will attempt everything to achieve that."