Perth, January 2, 2026 – Stefanos Tsitsipas is ready to launch his 2026 season with health front and center, co-leading Team Greece with Maria Sakkari at the United Cup.
The former World No. 3 has fully recovered from the back injury that derailed the second half of his 2025 campaign. After finishing the year with a 22-16 record and stepping away following Davis Cup in September, Tsitsipas completed a pain-free preseason and declared staying fit his biggest goal.
“My biggest wish for 2026 is to finish matches without any back issues,” Tsitsipas said ahead of the tournament. “For months I kept thinking: if I win today, can I even play tomorrow? After the US Open I couldn’t walk for days — that’s when you start questioning everything. Seeing one of the best sports doctors in the world and getting through preseason without discomfort has been a huge relief.”
Greece faces Japan tonight in the evening session at RAC Arena (not before 5:00 PM local time). The tie opens with Maria Sakkari taking on four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, followed by Tsitsipas’ 2026 debut against Shintaro Mochizuki in their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting. A deciding mixed doubles rubber, likely featuring the established Tsitsipas-Sakkari pairing, could follow.
Tsitsipas is embracing the familiar Perth atmosphere: “It almost feels like Perth is becoming one of the biggest Greek cities. We’re back, we’re strong, and we’re ready to fight.”
On reuniting with Sakkari in mixed doubles, he added: “I couldn’t ask for a better partner. We’ve known each other forever, built real trust through the years, and had some incredible comebacks — including at the Olympics. Representing Greece at the highest level together is something special.”
Sitting in Group E alongside Great Britain, Greece is aiming for a winning start to advance toward the quarterfinals. With his explosive game rebuilt on a stronger physical base, Tsitsipas is poised for a potential major resurgence in 2026 — provided his body holds up.
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