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Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed he pondered quitting the sport because of severe spinal pain throughout the 2025 tennis year.

At 27 years old, the player once ranked as high as third globally, was a finalist against Novak Djokovic at both the 2021 French Open alongside the 2023 Australian Open.

Currently placed 36th in the world following minimal competition since his early exit in New York this past summer, he stated that ongoing treatment is finally showing positive results.

"I'm most excited lies in seeing how my training holds up under actual training concerning my injury," commented Tsitsipas.

"My primary worry centered on if I could complete a match," the athlete continued, explaining the pain plagued him "over the last six to eight months."

"I kept asking, 'Am I able to play another contest pain-free?'"

"It was genuinely scary following the loss in Flushing Meadows [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I could not to move for 48 hours. That's when you start reconsidering the path ahead."

He also reported being content with the present treatment regimen following the completion of five weeks of off-season preparation without any pain.

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 competition will be held across Australian cities from 2 to 11 January, the week preceding the Australian Open.

"The greatest victory next season would be to stop worrying about finishing matches," he expressed.

"It is incredibly encouraging to know you had an off-season in good health – I wish for it to last. I aim to perform in 2026 and at the United Cup.

"The effort is invested. The most important thing is complete faith in my ability to get back to where I was. I will try all means to make it happen."