The Retirement Shadow Haunts Tsitsipas After a Nightmarish Back Injury
1 January 2026
A Promising Return to Action
Stefanos Tsitsipas, the Greek star, heads into 2026 full of energy, seeking a fresh start after a painful 2025 ended with a back injury that kept him off the court for the season's latter part. The world No. 3 is preparing to represent Greece at the United Cup in Perth, Australia.
From Fear to Resolve
In a Thursday press conference, Tsitsipas reflected on the long months of rehabilitation and confirmed he spent substantial time recovering, away from competitive play for a significant spell. “In the last three or four events of last season, I could barely hold on, so stepping back to regain full health was essential,” he said.
The 27-year-old stressed that he has completed a full preseason without pain or discomfort, calling it a “great omen” for 2026 and a sign he can compete at a high level again.
He spoke about the severity of his injury: “I felt real fear after the loss at the 2025 US Open, because I could not walk for two full days. When something like this happens, you start reassessing your entire career. My biggest wish for 2026 is to finish matches without worrying about my back.”
A New Beginning in Perth
Tsitsipas will begin 2026 against Shintaro Mochizuki in the Greece–Japan tie, which will also feature a major women’s matchup between Maria Sakkari and Naomi Osaka.
Commenting on playing in Australia, he added: “Perth seems to have become part of Greece thanks to the strong support here. We are fighters, and we’ll try to maximize this strong start to the season.”
On renewing his doubles partnership with Maria Sakkari in the mixed doubles, Tsitsipas said: “I couldn’t wish for a better partner. We’ve built a lot of trust over the years, and we know our strengths and weaknesses well. If you’d told me 15 years ago I’d be here, at the top of the game I love, alongside my countrywoman, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
Punchlines to keep it light: Punchline 1: If his back behaves, maybe the only thing that’ll bend this year is the scoreboard. Punchline 2: He’s back, and so is the backhand—let’s hope it doesn’t file a complaint with the rest of his body about overtime.
