🔗 Share this article

Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed he thought about ending his career due to debilitating spinal pain during the season.

At 27 years old, the player once ranked as high as third globally, was a finalist against Novak Djokovic in the finals of the 2021 French Open and the 2023 Australian Open.

Currently placed as the world's 36th best player following minimal competition since his early exit at the US Open in August, Tsitsipas indicated that ongoing treatment is finally showing encouraging progress.

"I'm most excited lies in seeing how my training holds up under actual training with regard to my injury," commented Tsitsipas.

"The biggest fear was whether I could complete a match," the athlete continued, explaining the pain plagued him "for the past half a year or more."

"I kept asking, 'Am I able to play another contest pain-free?'"

"It was genuinely scary following the loss at the US Open [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I was unable to walk for two days. That is the moment start reconsidering the path ahead."

He also reported being content with his current recovery plan after finishing an extended period of off-season preparation without any pain.

He is scheduled to compete with the Greek team at the team event, drawn against Team Japan led by Osaka and the Great Britain squad led by Emma Raducanu. The tournament takes place in Perth and Sydney in early January, the week preceding the Australian Open.

"The greatest victory for 2026 is to stop worrying about finishing matches," he stated.

"It provides fantastic feedback to know you completed a pre-season without pain – I wish for it to last. I want to deliver in 2026 and at 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 try all means to make it happen."