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Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed he pondered quitting the sport due to debilitating back issues throughout the season.

The 27-year-old, who has reached a career-high ranking of world number three, was a finalist to Novak Djokovic in the finals of the 2021 French Open and the 2023 Australian Open.

Now ranked 36th in the world after a limited schedule post a early exit in New York in August, he stated that ongoing treatment is finally showing encouraging progress.

"I'm most excited is to observe how my training holds up under actual training concerning my back," said Tsitsipas.

"The biggest fear was whether I could complete an encounter," the athlete continued, explaining the pain plagued him "for the past six to eight months."

"I kept asking, 'Am I able to play another contest without discomfort?'"

"It was genuinely scary after the defeat in Flushing Meadows [to Germany's Daniel Altmaier]. I was unable to move for two days. That is the moment start reconsidering the path ahead."

Tsitsipas further mentioned satisfaction regarding his current recovery plan following the completion of five weeks of pre-season training completely pain-free.

He is scheduled to compete for Greece in the United Cup, where they face Team Japan led by Osaka and the British team captained by Raducanu. The competition will be held across Australian cities in early January, just before the Australian Open.

"My main goal next season is to not have concerns over completing bouts," he expressed.

"It is incredibly encouraging realizing you had an off-season without pain – I hope it continues. I aim to perform in 2026 and at the team championship.

"The effort is invested. The crucial element is complete faith in my ability to get back to my previous level. I will attempt everything to achieve that."