Stefanos Tsitsipas was through a rough season last year, where he was dealing with a serious back injury, and now the Greek shares his very honest thoughts in this exclusive interview with Bolavip.
Last year was unlike anything he had experienced before. Battling a serious back injury, Tsitsipas endured a difficult season that saw him drop out of the top ten, now being ranked just 32 in the world.
In an exclusive interview with Bolavip at the ATP 500 tournament in Rotterdam, Tsitsipas opened up about the toll the past year has taken on him, sharing his honest feelings about injury, uncertainty, and how it affected his love for the game. The Greek star began the interview on a light note, joking: “Did it look like I was moving well on the court? It didn’t always feel like that.”
Feeling like an observer
From September onward, Tsitsipas only participated in one tournament—the Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia. Aside from that single match, he was sidelined with injury, something he had never experienced before.
Stefanos Tsitsipas struggled with injuries over the past year.
“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 told Bolavip.
Despite feeling relatively fit during his match against Arthur Rinderknech, Tsitsipas admitted that his back is still giving him trouble, and he’s trying to manage it: “It felt very odd and frustrating because I couldn’t do much. My back is like it is, and there are only so many things I can do. If it refuses to heal, all I can do is wait and consult as many specialists as possible.”
Uncertainty and priorities
Tsitsipas also revealed the emotional toll of his struggles. “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.
“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 concluded the interview with Bolavip.
Tsitsipas won his match against Arthur Rinderknech and will face Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp next. Given his recent revelations, it will be fascinating to see whether his body can keep up with the demands of the matches.