Tsitsipas reveals he almost quit with elbow problems, but successful return gives him motivation

WATCH: Felix Auger-Aliassime defeats Stefanos Tsitsipas in the 2022 Rotterdam final.

Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed that recent elbow problems led him to consider stopping his playing career in 2021, but he's eager and motivated following a successful surgery.

The 23-year-old had off-season elbow surgery on what he called "such a difficult injury that I suffered with for many years on the tour" and had been unsure whether he could return.

"I remember being at the ATP Finals a few days before the surgery, and I was thinking of quitting," he was quoted as telling the press before the start of Indian Wells. "I didn’t think that anybody would be able to help me heal and get back to where I wanted."

Initially, doctors told him he should aim to return for the clay season. But he bounced back before schedule to get to the semifinals of the Australian Open, and has also reached the final of Rotterdam and semifinals of Acapulco so far this season. It's given him renewed confidence in his elbow—and in his game.

"The fact that I was able to go deep in the Australian Open was the best thing that has happened in my career so far," Tsitsipas said.

It followed a letdown in the second half of 2021, when the Greek player had problems keeping up the form he had while winning Monte Carlo and reaching the final of the French Open, where he was up two sets before falling in five to Novak Djokovic. This season, he wants to stay physically and mentally steady instead.

"I want to be consistent and feel good about myself this year," he said.

He's also added a new coach, Thomas Enqvist, to his team.

Tsitsipas is No. 5 in the rankings.