To be the best, you need a few tests along the way. Alexander Bublik certainly experienced it in 2025. The 28-year-old maverick reached a career-high of world No. 11 and won four ATP titles this year, but it very nearly didn’t happen. So, what exactly happened?

The short answer is that early-season struggles made him question if he should even keep playing. The year began with uncertainty. Bublik wanted to make up for a disappointing 33rd-place finish in 2024, but early setbacks kept haunting him.

In Melbourne, he lost in straight sets to Francisco Cerundolo in the first round, and over the next six events, he only made it past the opening round twice. His ranking fell to World No. 82 in March of this year – a tough spot for someone used to competing with the best.

“I was very dissatisfied with myself at the end of last season,” Alexander Bublik said. “and even at the beginning of this one. In fact, I considered ending my career because I was worried about dropping out of the top 100; that would have changed everything.”

But after Indian Wells, Bublik took three days in Las Vegas to disconnect and clear his head. From then on, it was like “starting a mission.” That mission was to rebuild his confidence, regain his form, and find his game again.

The first steps were practical but crucial. Bublik experimented with his equipment, adjusted his training, and worked on improving his weaknesses. “I tried to maintain the variety in my game, and suddenly I became much more consistent,” he said. He specifically focused on his forehand, improved his fitness, and switched to a lighter 291-gram racket, which played a key role in his comeback.

Gradually, the results followed. At a Challenger event in Phoenix, Alexander Bublik reached the final, losing to Joao Fonseca, but the performance was a sign that his form was returning. He then went one better in Turin, winning the Challenger title.

These small victories helped him rebuild confidence and climb back up the rankings. And this growing confidence set him up for the moment that truly changed his season.

The turning point that reignited Alexander Bublik

Alexander Bublik’s breakthrough moment came at Roland Garros. He reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal, beating players like Alex de Minaur and Jack Draper before losing to Jannik Sinner. But he didn’t let the loss deter him. He carried that momentum into the grass season.

At the Halle Open, Bublik defeated top players including Tomas Machac, Karen Khachanov, and Daniil Medvedev to win his first ATP title since February 2024. It showed that he was back in form. As he says, “This is a great rebirth for my career.” And that rebirth only grew stronger in the weeks that followed.

A far from ideal first-round exit at Wimbledon followed, but he bounced back quickly. On clay, he won back-to-back titles at the Gstaad and Kitzbuhel Opens.

Even on hard courts, Alexander Bublik shone. He won the Hangzhou Open in China and reached the semi-finals at the Paris Masters. He even earned a spot as an alternate for the ATP Finals. By the end of 2025, his four titles were only behind Carlos Alcaraz (8) and Jannik Sinner (6). And this rise made him realize something important about where he stood.

“I didn’t know this statistic; for me, it confirms that I’m on the right track,” Alexander Bublik said. “My goal right now is to be a Top 10 player; it would be a dream if I could achieve this goal someday. Now I have the feeling that if I use my full potential, if I continue working with this focus, I really can do it.” But to understand how far he had come, you have to look back at the season before.

Because 2024 had been a different story. Bublik struggled all year. At the Australian Open, he lost in the first round despite hitting 41 winners and 13 aces. Nine double faults and 44 unforced errors ruined his chances, leaving him frustrated. And that early frustration was just the beginning of a tough year.

After reaching world No. 17 in mid-2024, his form dropped. Alexander Bublik admitted that it wasn’t just bad results; it was burnout.  “I wasn’t feeling any joy,” he said, even though he practiced hard. Bublik also lost his rhythm and confidence.

“Since Wimbledon 2024 I’ve been dealing with poor results. I dropped significantly in the rankings and didn’t know why I was playing so poorly,” he said.  His coach encouraged him to keep playing at least until Wimbledon 2025 so he could rebuild slowly, rather than make a rushed decision. And listening to that advice is exactly what led Alexander Bublik to the turnaround that followed.