An emotional Stefanos Tsitsipas addressed the press after being forced to retire from his opening-round match at Wimbledon, citing a recurring back injury that has plagued him over the past few years. With visible frustration and sadness, the Greek star opened up about the growing physical and mental toll his health battles have taken.
Speaking with raw vulnerability, Tsitsipas revealed the ongoing struggle behind the scenes. Since the ATP Finals in Turin two years ago, he has faced repeated challenges maintaining physical stability, describing the journey as a “war” within himself—between pushing his limits and staying injury-free.
“I’ve tried everything,” he said with clear anguish, detailing his commitment to physiotherapy and recovery efforts. Despite those efforts, the pain and setbacks have returned more than once, leaving him feeling adrift and without resolution.
Tsitsipas has long been known for his intensity on court and love for the game, which made the decision to stop mid-match especially heart-wrenching. His words conveyed not only physical discomfort but the emotional strain of not being able to play at full strength or find lasting relief.
This early exit was a difficult moment for a player of his caliber, who had high hopes for the grass-court season. As his fans around the world offer support, there’s an underlying hope that Tsitsipas will eventually find the clarity and healing he needs to regain his full stride.
This is what he said: “It’s tough to describe. I’m battling many wars these days. It’s really painful to see myself in a situation like this. One thing I absolutely hate doing is retiring or stopping a match, but I’ve never pictured myself being in a situation like this multiple times since the ATP Finals in Turin a couple years back. Since that time I’ve been very fragile with my body, and I’ve been battling a war of feeling healthy and feeling comfortable going to the extremes, which has been a difficult battle. So I really don’t know. I feel like I’m left without answers. I don’t know. I’ve tried everything. I’ve done an incredible job with my physiotherapy, so I’ve maximized on everything I can possibly do. Right now, I’m left with no answers. I don’t know what to do.”
Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2025
Currently the world no.26, the Greek played his last match on the 1st of January 1970 when he was overcome by world no.113 Valentin Royer 6-3 6-2 in the 1st round in Wimbledon (draw).
This season the Greek achieved a 19-13 win-loss record. This year, Stefanos won 1 title in Dubai.