Stefanos Tsitsipas has finally broken his silence on the turbulent 12 months that nearly ended his career. Following a decisive straight-sets victory at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam this week, the Greek star spoke exclusively about a period defined by a profound physical and mental battle.
While his return to the court has been impressive, Tsitsipas revealed that off-court, he was struggling with a loss of passion so severe it forced him to question his future in the sport.
Stefanos Tsitsipas Opens Up on a Difficult Period of His Professional Career
For much of the 2025 season, Tsitsipas was fighting a losing battle against his own body. In a recent interview with Bolavip, the former World No. 3 detailed how a persistent back injury transformed him from a title contender into a helpless spectator.
“I had a long period without playing tennis, which I had never had before during my career. I felt like I was away from the court and the competition. Suddenly, I was just an observer of tennis and the ATP Tour, rather than an active participant,” Tsitsipas admitted.
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This sense of not belonging to the sport was fueled by a confusing competitive reality. Tsitsipas managed to capture the ATP 500 title in Dubai early in 2025, a victory that should have made it easier for him to return to his best form. Instead, it marked the beginning of something worse, revealing that even as he lifted the trophy, deep-seated doubts were already eroding his confidence.
“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,” he explained.
The joy of competition, once his driving force, had been replaced by the anxiety of injury management. His season effectively ended after the US Open, where he bowed out in the second round against Daniel Altmaier and skipped major events to seek medical solutions for a back that simply “refused to heal.”
Tsitsipas’s Return to Professional Tennis in 2026
Now ranked No. 32 in the world, Tsitsipas is navigating his return with a fundamentally different philosophy. Now, the most important thing for the Greek is not the ranking points, but his physical well-being. However, he made it clear that the competitive fire still burns inside him, but he won’t let his body pay for it.
“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,” Tsitsipas stated.
His performance this week in Rotterdam, specifically his 7-5, 6-3 victory over Arthur Rinderknech, showcased a player moving with a renewed mentality. However, it didn’t last much longer, as the Dutch star Botic van de Zandschulp bested the Greek yesterday, Feb. 12, in the round of 16 match.
Zandschulp defeated Tsitsipas 6-4, 7-6(4) to reach the quarterfinals in just under two hours, where he is set to face the top seed of the tournament, Australian star Alex de Minaur, who defeated Stan Wawrinka to reach the QF.