Stefanos Tsitsipas admits the 2025 season left him wondering whether to walk away from tennis for good.
The 27-year-old former top player says crippling back pain haunted him for months and forced a long rethink after a painful US Open exit, but recent medical work and off-season training have given him cause for cautious optimism.
Back pain and a career crossroads
“I got really scared after the US Open loss [to Germany’s Daniel Altmaier]. I could not walk for two days. That’s when you reconsider the future of your career.”
Stefanos Tsitsipas
Tells like that make headlines, but the context matters: Tsitsipas has been as high as number three in the world and reached Grand Slam finals in 2021 and 2023, so this was not a minor wobble in a minor player.
After a second-round exit at the US Open in August he played just two Davis Cup matches and tumbled in the rankings to 36th, which is the kind of slide that forces a lot of late-night thinking and some very awkward conversations with your physio.
Tsitsipas said his main concern during the struggle was simple and brutal: “My biggest concern was if I could finish a match,” which is a worry no competitor wants to carry into a season that requires weekly survival rather than occasional heroics.
He described the injury as something that had haunted him “for the last six or eight months,” and that uncertainty bled into his training plans and tournament choices late in 2025, leaving him to question whether continuing would be the right move for body or legacy.
Treatment, training and a cautious rebound
Tsitsipas said he has seen progress with ongoing medical treatment and that he completed five weeks of off-season training without pain, which is the sort of small miracle that persuades athletes to keep going and scribble future plans back onto their calendars.
He spoke about the psychological lift of a pain-free pre-season, adding that it gives him full belief he can return to previous levels, and he vowed to “try everything” to get back to where he was on tour before the injury took hold.
That belief is practical as much as inspirational; Tsitsipas has the technical base and the results to make a comeback, but he must manage expectations while rebuilding match fitness and testing whether his back holds under tournament stress.
What’s next: United Cup and 2026 goals
Tsitsipas has already mapped a first target, saying his biggest win for 2026 would be simply “to not have to worry about finishing matches,” which is a modest and sensible aim after months of managing pain rather than performance.
He will line up for Greece in the United Cup, where his nation are grouped with Naomi Osaka’s Japan and the Emma Raducanu-led Great Britain team, in a competition scheduled from 2 to 11 January, the week before the Australian Open.
For now the calendar gives Tsitsipas a clear short-term target and a way to test his body under pressure, with the United Cup offering competitive matches and a chance to see if five pain-free weeks of training translate into match resilience.
Ranking history and previous highs matter here too; a return to form would not just be about climbing back from 36th but about recapturing the confidence that takes a player from contender to champion-caliber performer.
My Tennis Expert believes this is a classic crossroads story: a top player humbled by injury, rebuilding through medical care and controlled training, and using a team event as a proving ground before a bigger return at the Slams.
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Christoph Friedrich is a German tennis player and coach currently residing in Oakland, California. He began his tennis journey at the age of eight and has since dedicated his life to the sport. After working as a tennis coach and hitting partner in New York City for eight years, Christoph decided to share his knowledge and experience with tennis players around the world by creating the My Tennis Expert blog. His goal is to make tennis education accessible to everyone and help players select the best equipment for their game, from racquets and strings to shoes and overgrips. Christoph's extensive research and expertise in tennis technology make him a valuable resource for players of all levels.
