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Stefanos Tsitsipas says he considered retiring from tennis because of serious back pain during the 2025 season.<\/b><\/p>\n
The 27-year-old has been as high as number three in the world and was runner-up to Novak Djokovic at the 2021 French Open and 2023 Australian Open.<\/p>\n
Now ranked 36th in the world after playing just two Davis Cup matches since a second-round exit at the US Open in August, he said he is finally seeing progress through ongoing medical treatment.<\/p>\n
“I’m most excited to see how my actual training responds with regard to my back,” Tsitsipas said.<\/p>\n
“My biggest concern was if I could finish a match,” added Tsitsipas, who said the injury had haunted him “for the last six or eight months”.<\/p>\n
“I would ask, ‘Can I play another match without pain?'”<\/p>\n
“I got really scared after the US Open loss [to Germany’s Daniel Altmaier]. I could not walk for two days. That’s when you reconsider the future of your career.”<\/p>\n
Tsitsipas added he was satisfied with his current care plan after completing five weeks of off-season training without pain.<\/p>\n
He will play for Greece, who are grouped with Naomi Osaka’s Japan and the Emma Raducanu-led Great Britain team in the United Cup, which will take place in Perth and Sydney from 2 to 11 January, the week before the Australian Open.<\/p>\n
“My biggest win for 2026 would be to not have to worry about finishing matches,” he said.<\/p>\n
“It makes great feedback knowing you had a pre-season without pain – I hope it stays that way. I want to deliver for 2026 and the United Cup.<\/p>\n
“I put in the work. The most important thing is full belief that I can come back to where I was. I will try everything to do that.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n