The Greek tennis star Seriously Considered Walking Away During Injury-Plagued 2025 Season
The athlete entered the previous US Open as the 26th seed.
The tennis professional disclosed he pondered ending his career because of severe spinal pain throughout the season.
The 27-year-old, who has reached a career-high ranking of world number three, was a finalist 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 following minimal competition post a second-round departure in New York this past summer, Tsitsipas indicated that ongoing treatment has begun yielding positive results.
"I'm most excited is to observe how my body holds up under actual training concerning my injury," said Tsitsipas.
"My primary worry was whether I could complete a match," he added, noting the injury plagued him "over the last six to eight months."
"I kept asking, 'Can I compete in another match without discomfort?'"
"It was genuinely scary after the defeat in Flushing Meadows [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I was unable to walk for two days. That's when you start reconsidering your career's future."
He also reported being content with the present treatment regimen following the completion of an extended period of off-season preparation without any pain.
He is scheduled to compete with the Greek team in the United Cup, drawn against Team Japan led by Osaka and the British team captained by Raducanu. The tournament will be held across Australian cities in early January, just before the Australian Open.
"The greatest victory next season would be to not have concerns about finishing matches," he stated.
"It is incredibly encouraging to know you had a pre-season without pain – I wish for it to last. I want to deliver during the upcoming season and for the United Cup.
"The effort is invested. The crucial element is complete faith that I can return to my previous level. I will attempt everything to make it happen."