The Greek tennis star Seriously Considered Retirement During 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 throughout the season.
At 27 years old, the player once ranked as high as third globally, finished as runner-up against Novak Djokovic at both the 2021 French Open and the 2023 Australian Open.
Now ranked 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 is finally showing positive results.
"I'm most excited is to observe how my body responds during regular practice with regard to my injury," commented Tsitsipas.
"My primary worry centered on if I could complete a match," 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 in another match pain-free?'"
"It was genuinely scary following the loss at the US Open [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I was unable 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 off-season preparation without any pain.
His next appearance for Greece in the United Cup, drawn against Naomi Osaka's Japan 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.
"My main goal for 2026 would be to not have concerns about finishing matches," he stated.
"It provides fantastic feedback to know you completed an off-season without pain – I hope it continues. I aim to perform during the upcoming season and for the United Cup.
"The effort is invested. The crucial element is complete faith in my ability to get back to where I was. I will try all means to achieve that."
