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Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed he pondered ending his career due to debilitating spinal pain throughout the 2025 tennis year.

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

Currently placed as the world's 36th best player after a limited schedule since his second-round departure in New York this past summer, he stated continuous medical care is finally showing positive results.

"I'm most excited lies in seeing how my training responds during actual training with regard to my back," commented Tsitsipas.

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

"I would wonder, 'Can I compete another contest pain-free?'"

"It was genuinely scary after the defeat at the US Open [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I was unable 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 an extended period of pre-season training completely pain-free.

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 competition will be held in Perth and Sydney in early January, the week preceding the season's first major.

"The greatest victory next season would be to not have concerns about finishing matches," he stated.

"It provides fantastic feedback realizing you completed a pre-season in good health – I hope it continues. I want to deliver during the upcoming season and for the United Cup.

"The effort is invested. The crucial element is complete faith in my ability to get back to my previous level. I will try all means to make it happen."