By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, January 1, 2026Photo credit score: Matthew Calvis
Painful and untimely endings prompted Stefanos Tsitsipas to think about stepping away from tennis final season.
Continual again issued left Tsitsipas in such ache he says he thought-about calling it quits at one level.
“My largest concern was if I may end a match,” Tsitsipas instructed the media in Perth forward of main Greece within the United Cup. “I’d ask: ‘Can I play one other match with out ache?’ I obtained actually scared after the US Open loss [to Daniel Altmaier].
“I couldn’t stroll for 2 days. That’s if you rethink the way forward for your profession.”
Certainly, the previous world No. 3 was so pained by the again difficulty, he did not surpass the second spherical in his last 9 event appearances of 2025. After bowing to Daniel Altmaier 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, Tsitsipas performed simply two matches, each Davis Cup contests, earlier than pulling the plug on 2025.
The 27-year-old Tsitsipas began the 2025 season ranked No. 11, however has fallen to No. 36 within the rankings after battling the again damage that noticed the previous French Open and Australian Open finalist fail to surpass the second spherical in any respect 4 Grand Slams this season.
Tsitsipas mentioned he’s inspired he was in a position to practice in December with out ache and is hopeful he will probably be ache free throughout event play this yr.
“It makes nice suggestions figuring out you had a pre-season with out ache – I hope it stays that approach,” Tsitsipas instructed the media in Perth. “I wish to ship for 2026 and the United Cup.
“I put within the work. An important factor is full perception that I can come again to the place I used to be. I’ll attempt every part to try this.”
In an interview with Sports activities.ru final month, Tsitsipas’ mom, Julia Salnikova, mentioned her son was handled by specialist Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt in Munich and didn’t require surgical procedure for irritation within the cartilage sheath in his again. Salnikova mentioned her son’s again points had been attributable to his tendency to fall to the left throughout his service movement. The household hopes the latest therapy will allow him to play with out ache.
“The issue was solved with out surgical procedure. Stefanos was very happy with this—by that point he was already so drained that he was even prepared for an operation,” Salnikova instructed Sports activities.ru. “Now he doesn’t expertise discomfort. That is already pleasing, as a result of earlier than that, even in unusual life, he had discomfort due to his again.”
