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Three ATP players who struggled the most during the 2025 season

Originally posted on HITC | By Cameron Greenlees | Last updated Nov 18, 2025 11:39 AM ET

High expectations, setbacks, and what went wrong in a turbulent year on tour

The 2025 ATP season officially came to an end in Turin, where Jannik Sinner closed out the year by defeating Carlos Alcaraz in front of an electric home crowd. While the two stars dominated the headlines, several players also took major steps forward—such as Felix Auger-Aliassime climbing to world No. 5 and Ben Shelton and Jack Draper capturing their first Masters titles.

But not everyone enjoyed the same success. A handful of top names saw their momentum stall, their rankings slip, or their seasons derailed by injuries and inconsistency. Here are three ATP players who struggled to find their best tennis in 2025.

Stefanos Tsitsipas endured his toughest season in years

Despite dealing with injuries at different stages, Stefanos Tsitsipas simply never found his rhythm in 2025. Even acknowledging his time away from the court, his level was well below what fans expect from a former Grand Slam finalist and top-five staple.

The Greek star finished the season with a 22–18 record—his lowest win percentage since 2017. Although he managed to lift a trophy in Dubai, it stood as the lone bright moment in an otherwise forgettable campaign.

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Tsitsipas failed to reach the third round at any of the Slams and made just one Masters quarterfinal in Monte-Carlo. A late-season injury shortened his US Open run, and he closed the year ranked No. 10, knowing it could have been so much more.

Frances Tiafoe fell short of expectations

While fellow Americans Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton made notable progress, Frances Tiafoe struggled to keep pace. His results fluctuated from week to week, and he was unable to build meaningful momentum after a bright 2024.

Tiafoe ended the year with a 26–23 record, sliding from world No. 17 to No. 30. His Slam results were his weakest since 2021—quarterfinals at Roland Garros but early exits in Melbourne and at Wimbledon.
In Houston, he reached his only final but fell to Jenson Brooksby. With coaching changes now behind him and David Witt no longer in his camp, Tiafoe will be hoping for a January reset to reestablish himself among the elite.

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Andrey Rublev dropped out of the Top 10 for the first time since 2022

Andrey Rublev’s season wasn’t disastrous by typical standards, but relative to his own high bar, 2025 was undeniably a step back. For the first time since 2022, he finished outside the world’s top ten. Rublev did manage to win a title in Doha early in the year, but after that, his consistency waned. He finished with a 34–25 record and closed the season ranked No. 16. His five-year streak of reaching at least one Grand Slam quarterfinal also came to an end.

The good news is that he has a real chance to rebound quickly—he lost in the first round of the Australian Open in 2025, giving him fewer points to defend when he returns to Melbourne in January.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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