ATP Tour
Fritz headlines best comeback at majors in 2025
Davidovich Fokina, Bublik, Monfils, Jarry are all among the top 5
December 6, 2025
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Taylor Fritz defeated Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in five sets in the first round of Wimbledon.
Jerome Coombe
Five-set tennis remains one of the sport’s greatest stages, filled with chaos, grit and the kind of swings in momentum that can be remembered for years to come. In the 2025 majors, dramatic comebacks come often and quickly.
As part of our ongoing “Best of 2025” season review, today we’re looking back at five of the most notable comeback wins in this year’s majors.
5) Wimbledon R1: Jarry D. Runes 4-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4
When Nicolas Jarry fell two sets behind eighth seed Holger Rune, it looked like his main draw career at Wimbledon was over almost as soon as it began. But the Chilean refused to go quietly and after winning 0-5 in the final set of a Grand Slam, he dug deep to claim his first five-set win.
The No. 143 player in the PIF ATP rankings, Jarry entered the All England Club through qualifying. He struggled to be aggressive against Rooney early on, but once he found his range on the slick grass, the 6-foot-7 powerhouse was on fire. He hit 63 winners, including 31 aces, to achieve a stunning comeback. This was also his first main draw victory in a major since the 2023 U.S. Open.
The victory lit the fuse at Wimbledon. After knocking out Rooney, Jarry eliminated #NextGenATP phenoms Tian and Joao Fonseca before losing to local favorite Cameron Norrie in the fourth round – his joint-best performance at a major event.
Nicholas Jarry” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2025/11/27/13/28/jarry-2025-wimbledon-comebacks.jpg”>Nicolas Jarry beats Holger Rune in five sets at Wimbledon. Photo: Dan Easton/Getty Images
4) Roland Garros R1: Monfils d． Delian 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6(4), 6-1
Leave it to Gael Monfils to turn a painful collision into the spark of another late-night spectacle in Paris. The Frenchman slowly shook off his funk and was ready for battle after hitting the billboard in just the fifth point against Hugo Dallion in the opener at Roland Garros.
Dallion controlled the first two sets, silencing the crowd with a clean clay-court tennis performance. But then “La Monf” mode sets in. The 38-year-old was rejuvenated and danced around the court of Philippe-Chatrier, building up the energy and captivating the roaring home fans.
A dazzling backhand winner sealed the fourth-set tie-break, and Monfils soared from there on to his 40th win at Roland Garros, tying 1983 champion Yannick Noah for the most wins by a Frenchman in the Open era.
“Every time I play at Roland Garros it’s magical,” Monfils told the crowd afterwards. “The energy was high, and the minute Marseillaise started I knew it had shifted. It’s moments like this when I know I’ve gained momentum, and then, by communicating with you, I know it’s won.”
Gael Monfils” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2025/11/27/13/32/monfils-2025-roland-garros-comebacs.jpg”>Gael Monfils defeats Hugo Délien in five sets at Roland Garros. Photo: FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images
3) Roland Garros R2: Bublik d. De Minaur 2-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2
Sometimes a comeback just starts with waking up. That’s how Alexander Bublik described his intense duel at Roland Garros against Alex de Minaur, then ranked ninth in the world – a sudden resurgence of energy after winning just four games in the first two sets.
Once he relaxed, the Kazakh unleashed his signature combination of bold shots and raw power, completely turning the momentum around and catching De Minaur off guard. The Australian is usually the one to make mistakes on his opponents, but he found himself outplayed, with Bublik easily completing the comeback in the final three sets.
“I was a little sleepy in the first two sets,” said Bublik, ranked 62nd in the world. [the] Key to waking up and playing one of the best Grand Slam tournaments I’ve ever played in my life. “
Bublik entered 2025 with just 21 tour-level wins on clay, but his victory over De Minaur sparked a surge of inspiration. He then defeated Enrique Rocha and fifth seed Jack Draper to reach the French Open quarter-finals in what was his best performance at a major, even though clay is his least proven surface. The 28-year-old subsequently won titles in Gstaad and Kitzbühel and finished the season with a 16-5 clay-court record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.
Alexander Bublik” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2025/11/27/13/36/bublik-2025-roland-garros-comebacks.jpg”>Alexander Bublik defeated Alex de Minaur in five sets at Roland Garros. Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
2) Australian Open R2: Davidovich Fokina d． Auger-Aliassime 6-7(7), 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-1, 6-3
Few matches captured the chaos of a Melbourne night quite like Alejandro Davidovich Fokina’s five-set win over Felix Auger-Aliassime in a match that lasted four hours and 51 minutes.
Just seven games later, both players agreed to move pitches amid thunderous clashes between neighbors Jacob Fearnley and Arthur Cazaux. The interruption didn’t faze Auger-Aliassime, who regained focus and won two tiebreaks to build a two-set lead.
But Davidovich Fokina responded with tenacity and composure. He fought back the next two sets with gritty style throughout the match, forcing the decider to go past midnight. Not even a penalty for a timing violation at 3-2 in the fifth – followed by a four-minute delay – could derail him. He quickly reset, charged forward, and completed a dramatic reversal at 1:15 a.m.
“This was a game where we all played at a high level,” Davidovich Fokina said. Two days later, he fought back from two sets down against Jakub Mencic. “This is definitely one of the most satisfying matches of my career. I’ve never been able to win from two sets down. The strength I got from this match was huge.”
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2025/11/27/13/34/davidovich-fokina-australian-open-2025-comebacks.jpg”>Alejandro Davidovich Fokina defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in five sets at the Australian Open. Photograph: PAUL CROCK/AFP, Getty Images
1) Wimbledon R1: Fritz D. Mpesh Perikad 6-7(6), 6-7(8), 6-4, 7-6(8), 6-4
Trailing two sets to one and two points shy of defeat, staring down the man who had just broken the Wimbledon serve speed record, Taylor Fritz looked doomed in the first round. But what happened next became one of the decisive turns of the season, ultimately helping him reach the semi-finals of SW19 for the first time.
Giovanni Mpesi Pericard looked ready to end the upset as he led 5/1 in the fourth set tie-break and held serve twice at 5/2. Earlier, the 6-foot-8 Frenchman launched a 153-mph bomb to break Taylor Dent’s championship record set in 2010. His explosive serve wowed the crowd as he took complete control of the match.
Then Fritz turned the tables. With unwavering belief, he scored seven of the last eight points in the fourth-set tie-break following wins in Stuttgart and Eastbourne, and unleashed a roar that suggested the match was far from over. The American had to finish the job the next day due to the All England Club’s 11pm curfew, but he put in a strong performance and emerged victorious in the first-ever Lexus ATP Head2Head match between two of the tour’s most prolific servers.
“It was a crazy game. I thought the fourth-set tiebreaker last night was going to be over,” Fritz said. “He beat me in the first two tiebreaks, so I think I have what it takes. I’m very happy to advance.”
Taylor Fritz” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2025/11/27/13/37/fritz-wimbledon-2025-comebacks-1.jpg”>Taylor Fritz celebrates against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard at Wimbledon. Photo: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
