The Greek tennis star Seriously Considered Retirement Amid Pain-Filled 2025 Season
The athlete entered the previous US Open as the 26th seed.
The tennis professional disclosed he pondered quitting the sport because of debilitating back issues 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 alongside the 2023 Australian Open.
Currently placed as the world's 36th best player following minimal competition since his second-round departure in New York in August, Tsitsipas indicated continuous medical care is finally showing encouraging progress.
"My greatest anticipation lies in seeing how my body holds up under actual training with regard to my injury," said Tsitsipas.
"The biggest fear was whether I was able to finish an encounter," he added, explaining the pain plagued him "over the last six to eight months."
"I would wonder, 'Am I able to play in another match without discomfort?'"
"It was genuinely scary following the loss in Flushing Meadows [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I could not to walk for two days. That is the moment start reconsidering your career's future."
Tsitsipas further mentioned being content with his current recovery plan after finishing an extended period of pre-season training completely pain-free.
His next appearance for Greece in the United Cup, drawn against Naomi Osaka's Japan and the Great Britain squad led by Emma Raducanu. The competition takes place in Perth and Sydney in early January, just before the season's first major.
"The greatest victory for 2026 is to stop worrying over completing bouts," he expressed.
"It provides fantastic feedback to know you completed an off-season in good health – I wish for it to last. I aim to perform during the upcoming season and for the team championship.
"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 make it happen."
