The Greek tennis star 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 during the 2025 tennis year.
At 27 years old, the player once ranked as high as third globally, finished as runner-up to Novak Djokovic at both the 2021 French Open and the 2023 Australian Open.
Now ranked 36th in the world after a limited schedule since his early exit in New York this past summer, Tsitsipas indicated that ongoing treatment is finally showing encouraging progress.
"I'm most excited is to observe how my body holds up under actual training with regard to my injury," said Tsitsipas.
"The biggest fear centered on if I could complete a match," the athlete continued, explaining the pain had troubled him "for the past six to eight months."
"I kept asking, 'Am I able to play another contest pain-free?'"
"It was genuinely scary following the loss in Flushing Meadows [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I was unable to move for two days. That's when you begin to question the path ahead."
He also reported satisfaction regarding his current recovery plan after finishing an extended period of pre-season training completely pain-free.
His next appearance with the Greek team in the United Cup, drawn against Naomi Osaka's Japan and the Great Britain squad led by Emma Raducanu. The tournament takes place across Australian cities in early January, the week preceding the season's first major.
"My main goal next season is to stop worrying over completing bouts," he stated.
"It is incredibly encouraging realizing you had an off-season without pain – I wish for it to last. 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 that I can return to my previous level. I will try all means to achieve that."
