Few players enjoyed a better 2025 ATP season than Alexander Bublik. The Kazakh upset several top-ranked players and ended the year with a career-high world ranking of No. 11.
The 28-year-old has been on tour since 2016, but had never gained serious momentum until this season. Bublik finished with a singles record of 37-22 and four titles. Plus, he scored upset wins over Jannik Sinner, Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur, Daniil Medvedev, and Tommy Paul, among others.
But Bublik’s season started off slow, as he entered his breakout season considering retirement. In an interview with D. Gessner of Tennis Magazin, Bublik revealed the unbelievable reason why he almost retired before his breakout year.