By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, January 1, 2026
Photo credit: Matthew Calvis
Painful and premature endings prompted Stefanos Tsitsipas to consider stepping away from tennis last season.
Chronic back issued left Tsitsipas in such pain he says he considered calling it quits at one point.
“My biggest concern was if I could finish a match,” Tsitsipas told the media in Perth ahead of leading Greece in the United Cup. “I would ask: ‘Can I play another match without pain?’ I got really scared after the US Open loss [to Daniel Altmaier].
“I could not walk for two days. That’s when you reconsider the future of your career.”
Indeed, the former world No. 3 was so pained by the back issue, he failed to surpass the second round in his final nine tournament appearances of 2025. After bowing to Daniel Altmaier 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, Tsitsipas played just two matches, both Davis Cup contests, before pulling the plug on 2025.
The 27-year-old Tsitsipas started the 2025 season ranked No. 11, but has fallen to No. 36 in the rankings after battling the back injury that saw the former French Open and Australian Open finalist fail to surpass the second round at all four Grand Slams this season.
Tsitsipas said he’s encouraged he was able to train in December without pain and is hopeful he will be pain free during tournament play this year.
“It makes great feedback knowing you had a pre-season without pain – I hope it stays that way,” Tsitsipas told the media in Perth. “I want to deliver for 2026 and the United Cup.
“I put in the work. The most important thing is full belief that I can come back to where I was. I will try everything to do that.”
In an interview with Sports.ru last month, Tsitsipas’ mother, Julia Salnikova, said her son was treated by specialist Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt in Munich and did not require surgery for inflammation in the cartilage sheath in his back. Salnikova said her son’s back issues were caused by his tendency to fall to the left during his service motion. The family hopes the recent treatment will enable him to play without pain.
“The problem was solved without surgery. Stefanos was very pleased with this—by that time he was already so tired that he was even ready for an operation,” Salnikova told Sports.ru. “Now he does not experience discomfort. This is already pleasing, because before that, even in ordinary life, he had discomfort because of his back.”
