Stefanos Tsitsipas has confirmed that he is finally pain-free after he was left considering retirement when a back injury derailed his 2025 season. Coming into the United Cup, the world No. 34 had not played an official match since September. But he went 3-0 in singles at the team tournament and caused a huge upset on Wednesday, beating top-10 star Taylor Fritz during Greece's quarter-final tie against the USA.

The Greek team were ultimately eliminated after losing the women's singles and mixed doubles. But for Tsitsipas, who thought his injury would force him to quit tennis altogether, it's been a positive week in Perth.

"Pleased with the win. It was not easy getting into the match. I've been absent for a long time and matches like this challenge you to the fullest," the two-time Grand Slam finalist told the ATP after beating Fritz 6-4 7-5.

"I feel like you really get tested in the most brutal and intense ways against players that have been very consistent in the past couple of months. Taylor is one of them. I was aware entering the court that my focus levels needed to be at their highest. I couldn't allow myself to disconnect at any given moment during the match, and I delivered that excellently."

Tsitsipas also beat Britain's Billy Harris and Japan's Shintaro Mochizuki in the group stage, but his straight-set victory over Fritz was his first top-10 win since April 2024. The former world No. 3 is now hoping to compete in Adelaide before heading to the Australian Open, where he finished runner-up in 2023.

Looking ahead, the Greek star confirmed he was finally feeling good on the court again. "So far everything is good. It's great feedback, knowing that sort of thing, knowing that I'm not feeling any aches or pains," Tsitsipas added.

"I'm actually very pleased that I get to enjoy tennis daily, without any discomfort and pain that might be causing me more stress in everyday life... I'm super glad I get to play the sport that I love. Health is the most important thing in the world. I'm really truly enjoying every single match that I get to play pain free.

"I haven't had that in a while, so to be able to play that way creates happiness and satisfaction, and makes me want to go back to train. Especially when you are dealing with so much pain and especially in the lower back, you are very discouraged pretty quick when you see yourself a few times in that same situation. Training doesn't become as enjoyable anymore. To be able to do that right now is like the biggest bliss."

It's night and day from where Tsitsipas was a few months ago, when "couldn't walk for two days" after losing to Daniel Altmaier at the US Open. He suffered defeat to Joao Fonseca in a Davis Cup tie a few weeks later, and then continued to withdraw from tournaments until he ultimately ended his 2025 season. Ahead of the United Cup, Tsitsipas admitted he had contemplated retirement.

"When you see yourself unhealthy and in such a dark, bad state constantly, and not just a week or two, a lot of things cross your mind. A lot of your future flashes in front of you of how you see yourself in a couple of months from now. These things did occur," he explained.

"There were phases during the year where I was asking myself, 'Why am I doing this, and why am I putting myself through so much pain?' Pain is not an enjoyable thing when you're an athlete and especially when it keeps coming back and reverting constantly."