Stefanos Tsitsipas is stepping into 2026 with a clear mission: reclaim his top form after a season crippled by a persistent back injury that left the former world No. 3 sidelined for much of 2025.
The Greek star, now ranked 36th, played just two Davis Cup singles matches in September following a second-round U.S. Open exit, then took extended time off to recover.
"The last three or four tournaments of the season, I could barely hold up,” Tsitsipas told tournament organizers. "It was important to find a way back healthy. I did all the necessary steps to rehabilitate and get back to what I remember myself being.”
Tsitsipas’s struggles were stark.
He recorded only two major wins all year and retired in the first round at Wimbledon, a far cry from his previous peaks, including runner-up finishes at the 2021 French Open and 2023 Australian Open.
His U.S. Open loss to Germany’s Daniel Altmaier was particularly alarming; the 27-year-old could not walk for two days afterward, forcing him to confront the possibility of ending his career prematurely. "When things like that happen, you start reconsidering the future of your career,” he admitted.
After a brief coaching stint with Goran Ivanisevic, who guided Novak Djokovic to nine of his 24 Grand Slam titles, Tsitsipas reunited with his father Apostolos in July.
He credits a combination of medical consultations, targeted rehabilitation, and disciplined pre-season training for his return to form. "My biggest win for 2026 would be to not have to worry about finishing matches,” he said. "I completed five weeks of off-season training without pain. That’s a great feedback loop. I want to deliver in 2026, starting with the United Cup.”
Tsitsipas will lead Greece at the United Cup in Perth and Sydney from January 2-11, a mixed-team event serving as a warm-up to the Australian Open.
He will be joined by former world No. 3 Maria Sakkari, herself a comeback hopeful. "We are here again, with a good team and great spirit. We are prepared for war, we are Greek. We’re going big,” he said.
Greece’s group includes Naomi Osaka’s Japan and Emma Raducanu-led Britain, presenting a challenging path to the knockout stages.
For Tsitsipas, the stakes are as much personal as they are competitive. After months plagued by pain and uncertainty, the Greek star is focused on rebuilding confidence, regaining consistency, and proving that he can compete at the highest level without being hampered by injury. "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 said.