Stefanos Tsitsipas Admits to Uncertainty About His Career Last Year Following Injury Struggles

Stefanos Tsitsipas has admitted that he felt a deep uncertainty about his future on the ATP Tour last year when he dealt with persistent back problems. The former World No.3 revealed that he was close to retiring from the sport at one point last season, but didn’t fully give up on his hopes of making a return to the court.

Tsitsipas struggles with a back problem, as reflected in his on-court results. The Greek star began the 2025 season as World No.11 and was seeking to get back into the top 10, but he surprisingly ended the year as No.32. He couldn’t advance beyond the second round of all four Grand Slam tournaments last year.

In fact, Tsitsipas failed to advance past the second round in his final tournament appearance in 2025, and his campaign on tour ended at the US Open, where he lost to Daniel Altmaier in five sets. After a disappointing exit in New York, the 27-year-old played only two matches, both in the Davis Cup qualifiers.

However, this season, Tsitsipas made a great comeback to the court at the United Cup, where he picked up some remarkable wins, helping his country reach the quarter-finals of the mixed-gender event. He then crashed out in the second round of the Australian Open after losing to Tomas Machac in four sets.

He’s currently competing in the ongoing ATP 500 tournament in Rotterdam, which has no top-5 player in the draw. Speaking during an interview with BolaVip, Tsitsipas gave a candid assessment of the physical and mental toll that his back injury caused him, which forces him into an extended absence from regular tour-level events:

It felt very odd and frustrating because I couldn’t do much. My back is like it is, and there are only so many things I can do. If it refuses to heal, all I can do is wait and consult as many specialists as possible. I experienced a lot of uncertainty for many months. Even when I won the tournament in Dubai, I wasn’t sure if I could sustain that level or even continue playing. It kept getting worse during the spring, and eventually, I stopped enjoying the game.

Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev were supposed to headline the Rotterdam Open, but the pair decided to withdraw after the Australian Open. Alcaraz won the first Grand Slam of the season, while Zverev reached the semifinal of the tournament before losing to the Spaniard in a thrilling five-set match in Melbourne.

Stefanos Tsitsipas claims his opening match win at the Rotterdam Open

Stefanos Tsitsipas claimed a spectacular victory at the Rotterdam Open. The World No.32 shocked Rolex Shanghai Masters finalist Arthur Rinderknech in the second round, defeating the Frenchman 7-5, 6-3. Tsitsipas produced one of the most brilliant performances in recent months, hitting 16 winners and notching just 14 unforced errors.

It is just his second win in a tour-level singles match this season, and he will hope to continue his good form in Rotterdam. During the aforementioned interview, Tsitsipas noted that he showed improved movement and control on the court despite the uncertainty about his future on tour earlier this year:

The game becomes less important, and health becomes the most important thing in your life. Even earlier this year, I still had a lot of uncertainty about my future. Did it look like I was moving well on the court? It didn’t always feel like that.

Tsitsipas’ last title on tour came at the Dubai Tennis Championships in February. The title was the Greek star’s maiden ATP 500 championship. He will be hoping to add the Rotterdam Open to his collection of titles, but he will have to beat Dutch star Botic van de Zandschulp in the round of 16.

Also Read: Elina Svitolina Admits to Being Content Without Having Grand Slam Title After Motherhood

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