"In fact, I considered ending my career" - Alexander Bublik completes astonishing U-turn after almost retiring from tennis

Alexander Bublik enjoyed a terrific 2025. He has risen to a career-high of world number 11 while also having lifted four titles. However, this could have been very different if his early season woes prolonged.

The Kazakh was electric in the second half of the season, as he became a familiar name deep in many tournaments. He defeated some of the best players in the world as he finally started to unlock the hidden potential that fans had only seen glimpses of in the past. Bublik is now on the brink of making his debut in the top 10. He sits just 120 points behind Jack Draper in 10th. He is set to prepare for 2026 by competing in a number of exhibition events as the Australian Open creeps closer.

Bublik has always been known as a player with a very high ceiling, but for whatever reason it has not been found on a consistent basis on the court. He came into 2025 looking to make up for an underwhelming end to 2024, but his worrying form continued. He lost in the opening round in Melbourne in straight sets to Francisco Cerundolo ahead of making it past the first-round just twice in the culminating six events. He was desperately struggling to find any form as his sharp drop in the rankings saw him hover precariously above the top 100. It was very concerning times for Bublik, who disclosed how close he came to retiring from tennis.

"I was very dissatisfied with myself at the end of last season, and even at the beginning of this one," he told Tennis Magazin. "In fact, I considered ending my career because I was worried about dropping out of the top 100; that would have changed everything. After Indian Wells, I went to Las Vegas for three days to disconnect, but the truth is I left feeling quite worried. From then on, it was like starting a mission."

This mission would begin by Bublik experimenting with different equipment and tournaments. "I tried to maintain the variety in my game, and suddenly I became much more consistent," he admitted. "My training also changed a bit, for example, I greatly improved my forehand, especially on clay. I gained a lot of confidence in myself at the Challenger tournaments, fighting to climb back up the rankings. I improved my fitness, and a change of racket was key—a much lighter model, weighing in at 291 grams."

It had seemed to have done the trick, and then some. After the Indian Wells Open, he reached the final of a Challenger event in Phoenix where he lost to Joao Fonseca, but it was a much-improved campaign. He went one better in Turin as he clinched the Challenger title. While his form had been revived on that circuit, the boom on the ATP Tour was set to occur.

This started at Roland Garros. The 28-year-old made his first Grand Slam quarter-final after a hugely impressive run. He had got the better of the likes of Alex de Minaur and Draper enroute to a comprehensive defeat to Jannik Sinner. Nevertheless, the Italian was no match for Bublik in the Halle Open. He overcame the former world number one along with Tomas Mahac, Karen Khachanov and Daniil Medvedev in the final to lift his first ATP title since February 2024.

After a forgetful Wimbledon campaign, he followed it with two titles on the bounce. Going back to clay, in the space of two weeks he won the Gstaad Open and Kitzbuhel Open. While he could not implement this immense form at the US Open, thanks to once again running into Sinner, he won a third title in four events at the Hangzhou Open in China. This would get built on at the Paris Masters. He reached a maiden Masters 1000 semi-final which also made him an alternative for the ATP Finals.

This form has put him on an exciting pathway, something that he wants to continue. On top of all this, his four titles are only beaten by Carlos Alcaraz (8) and Sinner (6). “I didn’t know this statistic; for me, it confirms that I’m on the right track," he stated, reacting to the astonishing fact. "My goal right now is to be a TP10; 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.”