Tsitsipas, on his deepest crisis: "I lost my way and anxiety weighed on my shoulders"

Diego Jiménez Rubio | 29 Jun 2026 | 20.03

Stefanos Tsitsipas, deep crisis at Wimbledon 2026. Photo: gettyimages

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Stefanos Tsitsipas started Wimbledon 2026 with a very convincing performance against Hugo Gaston, a victory that came just a day after the official end of his collaboration with his father, Apostolos Tsitsipas. The Greek, who had been far from his best form for months, left very positive impressions and admitted to having regained part of the identity that made him one of the best players on the circuit.

Following the match, Stefanos Tsitsipas gave one of the most sincere press conferences in recent times at this Wimbledon 2026. The Greek spoke about the injuries that marked his career in recent years, confessed that he lost his way trying to change too many things in his tennis, explained that the back issues are now in the past, and claimed that the joy of playing is the true driving force behind his recovery.

Stefanos Tsitsipas analyzes his fresh start at Wimbledon, injuries, and the quest for his best tennis

Tsitsipas explains how he has rediscovered the essence of his tennis after parting ways with his father

The first question in the press conference inevitably revolved around the end of the professional relationship with Apostolos Tsitsipas. Without directly addressing that decision, the Greek explained that during the match, he felt like he was rediscovering the player he was years ago.

"The first thing I want to say is how much I missed the way I played a couple of years ago. While on the court today, I was thinking about the great battles I had fought previously at Wimbledon.

Regardless of the outcome, I always came to this tournament with a lot of determination, with a huge love for the grass, feeling that I was offering my best tennis at that moment.

Today was a kind of journey to the past. I tried to regain some of my qualities, some of the ways of thinking and doing things I had before, applying them in a structured way during the match. I will continue on this path to see how far it can take me."

The Greek maintains his offensive identity on the court

Tsitsipas also explained the pillars on which he has always built his tennis and why he does not want to lose that essence. "For me, the serve and the return are fundamental because they are the shots that start each point. When I return well and serve well, I feel that opportunities start to emerge.

I have always had the confidence to take risks with my forehand in crucial moments. My tennis has always been built around attacking, seizing opportunities, and playing smartly. I don't want to limit myself to hitting very hard without thinking. It's all about finding the right balance."

Tsitsipas recalls the injuries, surgeries, and the moment he lost his way

The Greek had the most emotional moment of the press conference when he acknowledged that the last few years were much tougher than many people imagine. "What always brings me back is the love I feel for this sport. I love this game. I have experienced very tough moments due to injuries that I never imagined having when I was a child.

I never thought I would go through injuries that would change my life, make me suffer so much. I had to undergo surgery, I was hospitalized several times... It's part of the process, and I have accepted that I am not the only one who has been through something like this. I think at some point, I lost my way. Over the past few years, I have been constantly seeking changes and improvements in my game. Sometimes, I tried to incorporate things that didn't really align with my personality, even though my coaches or people around me thought they were important."

Adapting takes time, and in this circuit, there is no such time because the tournaments come one after another. All that pressure, the anxiety I felt in the past, and the stress ended up weighing heavily on my shoulders. Now I try not to look too far ahead, not to obsess over victories. I just want to enjoy every match that I have the opportunity to play."

Stefanos Tsitsipas confirms that back problems are a thing of the past

After many months affected by a lumbar injury, the former world number 3 assured that he feels fully competitive again. "The back is no longer a problem. That was resolved a while ago.

The best part is that I no longer have to wake up every morning wondering if I'll be able to play without pain that day. Last year, it was exactly the opposite. There wasn't a single day when I woke up convinced that I would be able to complete a tournament normally. The past few months I have felt really good. Thanks to that, I believe again that I can reach finals and return to the second week of the big tournaments."

Tsitsipas emphasizes his special bond with grass courts

Although Greece has virtually no grass courts, Tsitsipas asserts that he has always felt a unique connection with this surface. "We don't have grass courts in Greece. Sometimes I wish I had been born in Australia.

I grew up playing on clay, and the first time I stepped on a grass court was when I was sixteen at Wimbledon juniors. It was an incredible experience because I never imagined I would end up playing on this surface at the tournament I had always dreamt of."

Grass and I have a good relationship. It's true that my results here haven't been extraordinary, but I have always felt that my game fits very well on this surface.

Some people speak negatively about grass. I see it as a challenge. Tennis needs challenges, and for me, this surface is a very interesting adventure. I believe there is a very good chemistry between my style of play and the grass."

Tsitsipas believes that injuries result from an increasingly demanding tennis

Asked about the growing number of injuries on the men's circuit, Tsitsipas believes that the issue lies not in the equipment but in the enormous physical demands of modern tennis. "If we talk about technology, rackets have improved, not worsened. I think the problem is excessive use. There are so many tournaments, so many training hours, and the circuit has reached a point where the margins are minimal.

Today, everyone hits the ball very well and moves very well. That forces everyone to constantly improve. When you train so much and play week after week, it is completely normal that injuries due to overload eventually appear, whether in the shoulder, back, or knees. The good news is that medicine has also advanced a lot, and today we have tools that simply did not exist twenty years ago."

The victory over Hugo Gaston was much more than just moving to the next round for Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Greek rediscovered himself on a tennis court after a period marked by injuries, doubts, and constant changes. Now, with his back fully recovered and a new professional phase just begun, he hopes that Wimbledon 2026 can be the stage where the player who once ranked among the world's best will definitively return.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Tsitsipas, sobre su crisis más profunda: "Perdí el rumbo y la ansiedad pesaba sobre mis hombros"

Stefanos Tsitsipas