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Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed he thought about ending his career because of debilitating back issues during the 2025 tennis year.

At 27 years old, the player once ranked as high as third globally, finished as runner-up against Novak Djokovic at both the 2021 French Open alongside the 2023 Australian Open.

Currently placed as the world's 36th best player after a limited schedule since his early exit at the US Open this past summer, Tsitsipas indicated that ongoing treatment is finally showing positive results.

"My greatest anticipation is to observe how my training responds during actual training concerning my back," said Tsitsipas.

"The biggest fear centered on if I was able to finish an encounter," the athlete continued, noting the injury plagued him "for the past half a year or more."

"I would wonder, 'Can I compete another contest without discomfort?'"

"It was genuinely scary after the defeat in Flushing Meadows [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I could not to move for 48 hours. That is the moment start reconsidering your career's future."

Tsitsipas further mentioned being content with the present treatment regimen following the completion of an extended period of pre-season training completely pain-free.

He is scheduled to compete with the Greek team at the team event, where they face Team Japan led by Osaka and the Great Britain squad led by Emma Raducanu. The tournament will be held in Perth and Sydney from 2 to 11 January, the week preceding the season's first major.

"The greatest victory for 2026 is to stop worrying over completing bouts," he expressed.

"It is incredibly encouraging to know you completed an off-season in good health – I hope it continues. I aim to perform in 2026 and at the team championship.

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