🔗 Share this article Stefanos Tsitsipas Seriously Considered Retirement Amid Injury-Plagued Campaign The athlete entered the previous US Open as the 26th seed. The tennis professional disclosed he pondered ending his career due to debilitating back issues during the season. 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 and the 2023 Australian Open. Currently placed as the world's 36th best player after a limited schedule post a second-round departure in New York in August, Tsitsipas indicated continuous medical care has begun yielding positive results. "I'm most excited lies in seeing how my training responds during actual training concerning my injury," commented Tsitsipas. "My primary worry was whether I could complete a match," the athlete continued, explaining the pain had troubled him "over the last six to eight months." "I kept asking, 'Am I able to play another contest pain-free?'" "I became truly frightened after the defeat at the US Open [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I could not to walk for 48 hours. That is the moment begin to question your career's future." He also reported being content with his current recovery plan following the completion of five weeks of off-season preparation completely pain-free. His next appearance for Greece at the team event, where they face Team Japan led by Osaka and the Great Britain squad captained by Raducanu. The competition will be held in Perth and Sydney in early January, just before the season's first major. "The greatest victory for 2026 would be to not have concerns about finishing matches," he expressed. "It is incredibly encouraging to know you had an off-season without pain – I wish for it to last. I aim to perform during the upcoming season and for the United Cup. "The effort is invested. The most important thing is complete faith that I can return to where I was. I will try all means to make it happen."