Stefanos Tsitsipas Contemplated Retirement During Injury-Plagued Campaign
The athlete entered the previous US Open as the 26th seed.
The tennis professional disclosed he thought about quitting the sport because of debilitating back issues throughout the season.
The 27-year-old, who has reached a career-high ranking of world number three, was a finalist to Novak Djokovic in the finals of the 2021 French Open and the 2023 Australian Open.
Now ranked as the world's 36th best player following minimal competition post a second-round departure at the US Open this past summer, Tsitsipas indicated that ongoing treatment is finally showing encouraging progress.
"My greatest anticipation is to observe how my body holds up under regular practice concerning my back," commented Tsitsipas.
"My primary worry was whether I could complete a match," the athlete continued, explaining the pain had troubled him "for the past six to eight months."
"I would wonder, 'Can I compete in another match without discomfort?'"
"It was genuinely scary following the loss in Flushing Meadows [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I was unable to walk for two days. That is the moment begin to question your career's future."
He also reported being content with his current recovery plan after finishing an extended period of pre-season training completely pain-free.
He is scheduled to compete for Greece at the team event, where they face Naomi Osaka's Japan and the Great Britain squad led by Emma Raducanu. The competition will be held across Australian cities in early January, the week preceding the Australian Open.
"My main goal for 2026 is to stop worrying over completing bouts," he stated.
"It is incredibly encouraging to know you completed an off-season in good health – I hope it continues. I aim to perform in 2026 and at the United Cup.
"The effort is invested. 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."
