Tsitsipas reveals “urgent” medical crisis behind 2026 United Cup return
After a career-threatening back injury left him unable to walk for two days following the 2025 US Open, Stefanos Tsitsipas credited a world-class specialist for his successful return to action in Perth.
Stefanos Tsitsipas, United Cup 2026 | © Tennis Australia / Tennis Majors
Stefanos Tsitsipas opened his 2026 season with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Shintaro Mochizuki at the United Cup, but the former world No. 3 revealed afterward that his presence on court was far from guaranteed just months ago.
Now ranked No. 36 following a 2025 season plagued by chronic back issues, Tsitsipas admitted he faced a crossroads in his career after a second-round exit at Flushing Meadows. “I got really scared after my US Open loss because I just couldn’t walk for two days,” Tsitsipas said. “When things like that happen, you start reconsidering the future of your career.”
The Greek star sought out specialized treatment – later identified by his mother, Julia Salnikova, as the renowned Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt in Munich in an interview by sports.ru – to address inflammation in the cartilage sheath of his back.
Tsitsipas : “My situation was quite urgent”
“My situation was quite urgent,” Tsitsipas explained. “I have a lot of faith in the doctor that treated me. He’s considered one of the best. I am really thankful he helped me out because there were a lot of things on the line.”
Tsitsipas noted that his 2026 goal is physical stability over immediate results. “The goal of 2026 is to be playing best-of-five matches… and to be able to come back fresh the next day. Recently that was tough to do. I’m just hoping I get back into this spinning wheel again.”
His victory, combined with Maria Sakkari’s 6-4, 6-2 win over Naomi Osaka, secured a clean sweep for Greece. “I’m pleased with the way I finished because I really started finding rhythm,” Tsitsipas said. “My first game was actually pretty awful; I felt completely useless. But once I got a better visual of the corners, I felt my game started penetrating more.”
United Cup Group E: Greece def. Japan 3-0 Perth (RAC Arena) — January 2-3, 2026
- Women’s Singles: Maria Sakkari def. Naomi Osaka | 6-4, 6-2
- Men’s Singles: Stefanos Tsitsipas def. Shintaro Mochizuki | 6-3, 6-4
- Mixed Doubles: Sakkari/Tsitsipas def. Hibino/Uchiyama | 6-2, 6-3
