Stefanos Tsitsipas, once hailed as the future of men’s tennis and a two-time Grand Slam finalist, is back under the spotlight as he prepares for a pivotal return at the 2026 United Cup in Perth, Australia. After a bruising 2025 season marred by persistent back problems, career doubts, and a dramatic coaching reunion, the Greek star’s journey has taken on the air of a comeback saga—one filled with grit, introspection, and hope.
For Tsitsipas, the pain began to haunt him midway through 2025. The Greek, who had previously soared to world No. 3, found himself slipping to 36th in the rankings by year’s end, his lowest finish since 2017. The numbers tell a stark story: a 22-18 match record, just two wins across the majors, and a premature retirement at Wimbledon in June against French qualifier Valentin Royer. “I got really scared after my U.S. Open loss with my back, because I just couldn’t walk for two days,” Tsitsipas confessed to reporters, recalling the aftermath of his defeat to Germany’s Daniel Altmaier in late August. “When things like that happen, you start reconsidering the future of your career.”
The physical toll was only part of the ordeal. Tsitsipas’s back pain forced him to withdraw from the Davis Cup in September, and he struggled to finish matches during the closing stretch of the season. “The last three or four tournaments of the season I could barely hold up,” he admitted to tournament organizers. “So it was important to try and find something that will bring me back again healthy.”
As the pain persisted, so did the doubts. “When you see yourself unhealthy and in such a dark and bad state constantly, not just a week or two, a lot of things cross your mind and your future flashes in front of you,” he reflected. “I’d just rather put an end to it if it ends up going towards this route, than just constantly suffer.” Yet, despite the darkness, Tsitsipas’s competitive fire flickered on. “I just want to be happy in the way I live my life, and if I’m not able to compete, then one day I guess I’ll have to put a stop to it. But I don’t want this to happen. I want to continue for at least 10 more years.”
Amid the turmoil, Tsitsipas made a crucial change off the court. After a much-publicized split with his father and longtime coach Apostolos following a heated exchange at the 2024 Montreal Masters, the pair reunited in July 2025. “The biggest issue in the past with me and my father is obviously we’re two strong personalities, and we want to express our opinions. Sometimes they don’t really co-align,” Tsitsipas explained. The time apart, however, seems to have healed old wounds. “He’s a much better communicator. That was the most important thing working with him. It’s really important to stay honest and to stay true to yourself of what you think and what you think needs improvement. So I believe so far we’ve been managing it better.”
This renewed partnership comes after Tsitsipas briefly worked with Goran Ivanisevic, the coach behind many of Novak Djokovic’s Grand Slam triumphs. But as Tsitsipas sought to rehabilitate both his body and his game, the comfort of family proved irresistible. “I did all the necessary actions and took all the necessary steps to rehabilitate and get back to what I remember myself being back at,” he said. “So now, so far I think it makes for great feedback, knowing that I’ve done my whole preseason without any pain, without any discomfort.”
Those five weeks of pain-free training in the offseason have been a revelation. “My biggest concern has been: can I actually finish a match?” Tsitsipas told the press in Perth. “The thing that I’m most excited about is trying to see my actual training that I’ve been putting in the last couple of weeks and how it responds in regards also to my back.” He added, “My biggest win for 2026 would be to not have to worry about finishing matches.”
Tsitsipas’s return comes at a crucial juncture for Team Greece. Together with co-leader Maria Sakkari, another former world No. 3, he will spearhead the nation’s campaign at the United Cup, a mixed-team tournament that has quickly become a staple of the tennis calendar. Greece finds itself in a challenging group, facing Japan—led by four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka—and Britain, with 2021 US Open winner Emma Raducanu at the helm. “We are here again, with a good team and great spirit. We are prepared for war—we are Greek. We’re going big,” Tsitsipas declared, his trademark confidence shining through.
His opening test is set: a clash with Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki on January 2. The match will not only mark Tsitsipas’s return to competitive action but also serve as a litmus test for his physical and mental readiness. “I put in the work. The most important thing is full belief that I can come back to where I was. I will try everything to do that,” he vowed.
For fans and pundits alike, Tsitsipas’s journey is a study in resilience. The 27-year-old has already etched his name in the sport’s annals with 12 tour-level titles and runner-up finishes at the 2021 French Open and 2023 Australian Open. Yet, his recent struggles have cast a shadow over what once seemed an inevitable ascent to the sport’s summit. The back injury that derailed his 2025 season wasn’t just a physical setback; it was a crucible that tested his will, his relationships, and his very identity as an athlete.
But if the preseason is any indication, Tsitsipas is ready to turn the page. The Greek star’s candidness about his struggles has only endeared him further to the tennis community. “That’s my biggest wish for 2026—to finish matches and not have to think about any issues regarding my back,” he said, echoing the hope of every athlete who has faced the specter of injury.
As the 2026 United Cup gets underway, all eyes will be on Stefanos Tsitsipas. Will his body hold up? Can he recapture the form that made him a perennial Grand Slam contender? And perhaps most intriguingly, how will the renewed partnership with his father shape this next chapter?
One thing’s for certain: Tsitsipas is back, determined, and eager to prove that the best is yet to come. The tennis world waits, breath held, as a new season—and a new Stefanos Tsitsipas—takes center stage in Perth.
