Stefanos Tsitsipas Seriously Considered Walking Away Amid Pain-Filled Campaign

Stefanos Tsitsipas in action

The athlete entered the previous US Open as the 26th seed.

The tennis professional disclosed he thought about ending his career because of debilitating spinal pain throughout the season.

The 27-year-old, who has reached a career-high ranking of world number three, finished as runner-up against Novak Djokovic in the finals of the 2021 French Open alongside the 2023 Australian Open.

Now ranked 36th in the world 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 is to observe how my body holds up under regular practice concerning my back," said Tsitsipas.

"My primary worry centered on if I could complete an encounter," the athlete continued, explaining the pain had troubled him "over the last six to eight months."

"I kept asking, 'Am I able to play in another match without discomfort?'"

"It was genuinely scary following the loss at the US Open [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I could not to move for 48 hours. That is the moment start reconsidering your career's future."

Tsitsipas further mentioned satisfaction regarding the present treatment regimen after finishing an extended period of pre-season training without any pain.

His next appearance for Greece in the United Cup, where they face Naomi Osaka's Japan and the Great Britain squad led by Emma Raducanu. The competition takes place across Australian cities in early January, the week preceding the season's first major.

"My main goal for 2026 would be to not have concerns over completing bouts," he stated.

"It is incredibly encouraging to know you had an off-season in good health – 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 achieve that."

Allison Velasquez
Allison Velasquez

A seasoned gaming journalist with over a decade of experience covering casino trends and slot machine innovations.