FILE PHOTO: Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas in action during his quarter final match against Italy's Jannik Sinner at the Six Kings Slam, ANB Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 15, 2025 REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
Jan 2 (Reuters) - Stefanos Tsitsipas said he is hoping to rediscover his best tennis in 2026 after a back injury disrupted his campaign last year.
The former world number three played only two singles rubbers for Greece in the Davis Cup in September following a second-round exit at the U.S. Open the previous month, before taking time off to recover.
Tsitsipas, now ranked 36th, will lead Greece at the United Cup in Perth and Sydney from January 2to 11, the week before the Australian Open.
“The last three or four tournaments of the season I could barely hold up,” the 27-year-old told tournament organisers.
“So it was important to try and find something that will bring me back again healthy.
“I did all the necessary actions and took all the necessary steps to rehabilitate and get back to what I remember myself being.”
Tsitsipas managed only two wins at the majors last year, retiring in the first round at Wimbledon.
In July, the 2021 French Open and 2023 Australian Open runner-up reunited with his father Apostolos as coach after ending a brief stint with Goran Ivanisevic, who helped Novak Djokovic claim nine of his 24 Grand Slam titles.
“I got really scared after my U.S. Open loss with my back, because I just couldn’t walk for two days,” Tsitsipas said.
“When things like that happen, you start reconsidering the future of your career.
“That’s my biggest wish for 2026 - to finish matches and not have to think about any issues regarding my back.”
(Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena in Bengaluru; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
