Stefanos Tsitsipas reveals ‘not easy’ schedule shakeup as he falls outside of the world’s top 75
Stefanos Tsitsipas has admitted that he may need to play more lower-tier events in order to build up his form and ranking, after suffering another early defeat and falling outside of the world’s top 75.
The Greek has been a shadow of his former self for well over 18 months, struggling to win back-to-back matches.
In 2026, Tsitsipas has won just 11 matches and lost eight – including four of his five most recent matches.
Most recently, he fell in the opening round of the Monte-Carlo Masters (to Francisco Cerundolo) and the ATP 250 event in Munich (to Fabian Maroszan).
The 2026 off-season appeared to provide new life within the former world No 3, after revealing that he was no longer suffering the lingering back pain that had disrupted the prior 12 months – pain which, reportedly, nearly pushed him into retirement.
“I am not frustrated anymore, because there is no pain to interrupt my training regime day to day,” said Tsitsipas during an interview with Tennis TV.
“I wouldn’t say that there is something that bothers me right now, so I am actually at a perfect place to build on developing a better game to try and get myself back to where I belong.
“So far nothing has been bothering me, I am on a straight line trying to get things done and maybe get back on some winning streaks I am hoping.”
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At his peak, Tsitsipas reached two Grand Slam finals – at the 2021 French Open and the 2023 Australian Open – and lifted three Masters 1000 titles, as well as the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals trophy.
However, whilst the lack of pain is a very significant development, the Greek’s latest loss in Munich has further plummeted his ranking to outside of the world’s top 75.
This is his lowest ranking in eight years and means that he is at risk of facing the likes of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in the early stages of every tournament they enter.
In order to find a solution, Tsitsipas admits that he may need to play more ATP 250 events, in order to improve his game and ranking.
“I am aware that I might need to play good players in earlier rounds at different tournaments this year,” remarked the Greek.
“It’s not an easy thing to get to play them early, but I also accept the challenge and I accept my current position and state, that these kind of things need to happen in order for me to get back to where I belong.
“If I have to play 250’s, if I have to play extra tournaments I will, because matches seem to help me get me back into the game.
“I’m a player that needs matches, I’m a player that needs to play a lot of sets in order to feel my game better and I think this is something that I might need to do in the next couple of weeks.
“I am expecting to play a lot of tournaments, I want to get a lot of tournaments under my belt, but of course be pretty careful where I choose my tournaments and when I get to play.
“So these type of things are also under my consideration.”
Tsitsipas is next scheduled to play at the Madrid Masters, which takes place from May 22 – May 3.
