The Greek tennis star Seriously Considered Retirement Amid Injury-Plagued 2025 Season

The tennis professional disclosed he pondered quitting the sport due to severe 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 in the finals of the 2021 French Open alongside the 2023 Australian Open.

Now ranked as the world's 36th best player after a limited schedule since his second-round departure in New York in August, Tsitsipas indicated continuous medical care has begun yielding encouraging progress.

"I'm most excited is to observe how my body responds during regular practice with regard to my back," said Tsitsipas.

"My primary worry was whether I was able to finish an encounter," the athlete continued, noting the injury had troubled him "for the past half a year or more."

"I would wonder, 'Am I able to play another contest without discomfort?'"

"It was genuinely scary following the loss at the US Open [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I was unable to move for 48 hours. That's when you start reconsidering the path ahead."

Tsitsipas further mentioned satisfaction regarding his current recovery plan after finishing five weeks of pre-season training completely pain-free.

He is scheduled to compete with the Greek team in the United Cup, where they face Team Japan led by Osaka and the Great Britain squad captained by Raducanu. The tournament will be held across Australian cities from 2 to 11 January, just before the Australian Open.

"The greatest victory for 2026 is to not have concerns over completing bouts," he expressed.

"It is incredibly encouraging realizing you completed a pre-season in good health – I wish for it to last. I aim to perform in 2026 and at the team championship.

"The effort is invested. The crucial element is complete faith that I can return to my previous level. I will try all means to achieve that."