Stefanos Tsitsipas Contemplated Walking Away Amid Pain-Filled 2025 Season

Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed he thought about quitting the sport due to debilitating back issues 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.

Now ranked as the world's 36th best player following minimal competition post a second-round departure in New York in August, he stated that ongoing treatment has begun yielding positive results.

"I'm most excited lies in seeing how my body responds during actual training concerning my injury," said Tsitsipas.

"My primary worry was whether I could complete a match," the athlete continued, noting the injury plagued him "for the past half a year or more."

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

"It was genuinely scary following the loss at the US Open [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I was unable to move for two days. 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.

He is scheduled to compete for Greece in the United Cup, where they face Naomi Osaka's Japan and the British team captained by Raducanu. The tournament takes place in Perth and Sydney in early January, the week preceding the Australian Open.

"My main goal for 2026 would be to not have concerns about finishing matches," he expressed.

"It is incredibly encouraging realizing you completed an off-season in good health – I hope it continues. I want to deliver during the upcoming season and for the United Cup.

"I have done the work. The most important thing is total belief in my ability to get back to my previous level. I will attempt everything to make it happen."