ATP 2025: Top five matches of the year

The 2025 ATP season was packed with unforgettable moments — matches that had fans on the edge of their seats and players pushed to their absolute limits. From marathon Grand Slam battles to chaotic late-night thrillers and pressure-filled clashes at the year-end finals, the drama never stopped.

Week after week, the sport’s biggest stars produced jaw-dropping shot-making, emotional swings, and rivalries that defined the season. At the heart of it all were Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, leading a fiercely competitive field and setting new standards, while a hungry chasing pack ensured no match was ever predictable.

Together, these battles told the story of a season that made it clear: men’s tennis has entered a new golden era.

Top ATP Matches of the 2025 Season

Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz: Australian Open 2025 

Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open quarter-final victory over Carlos Alcaraz was one of the standout battles of the season — a four-set epic defined by wild momentum swings, physical adversity, and astonishing shot-making from both men.

Alcaraz burst out of the gates, sensing Djokovic’s early discomfort and an apparent upper-leg issue. The Spaniard played with fearless intent, ripping groundstrokes and mixing in delicate touches at the net to claim the opening set.

Djokovic appeared in real trouble after taking a medical timeout, but once the treatment took effect, the match turned. The Serbian raised his intensity, attacking Alcaraz’s serve, stepping inside the baseline, and seizing control of rallies with trademark precision.

From the second set onward, Djokovic’s experience and tactical clarity began to tell, even as Alcaraz continued to light up the court with breathtaking exchanges. The 24-time Grand Slam champion struck at crucial moments late in the second set and throughout the third, shoring up his serve and ruthlessly punishing any short ball.

The fourth set remained on a knife’s edge, with Alcaraz threatening in almost every return game. Yet Djokovic refused to blink, defending the corners with the resilience of his younger self and delivering when it mattered most.

After three hours and 37 minutes, Djokovic sealed one of the most hard-earned wins of his career at Melbourne Park — a powerful reminder that even at 37, he remains one of tennis’s ultimate competitors.

Daniil Medvedev vs Benjamin Bonzi: US Open 2025

Benjamin Bonzi’s shock win over Daniil Medvedev at the 2025 US Open turned into one of the tournament’s most chaotic and unforgettable matches, defined by wild momentum swings and a bizarre third-set incident.

Bonzi was outstanding early. He played smart, disciplined tennis, holding his ground in long baseline exchanges and capitalizing on Medvedev’s errors to take the first two sets with confidence and composure.

The match exploded at 5–4 on match point in the third set, when a photographer accidentally stepped onto the court between Bonzi’s first and second serves. The chair umpire ordered the point to be replayed and awarded Bonzi a new first serve — a decision that sent Medvedev into a furious protest and sparked a stadium-wide uproar. Play was halted for several minutes as tensions boiled over.

When the match finally resumed, the mood had completely flipped. Medvedev fed off the hostile crowd, clawing his way back to win the third-set tiebreak before steamrolling through the fourth.

But Bonzi refused to fade. The fifth set became a battle of nerves, with both players trading breaks and momentum swinging back and forth. As Medvedev began to struggle physically and errors crept into his game, Bonzi stayed steady. He saved crucial break points, held his nerve under immense pressure, and eventually sealed a remarkable victory in one of the most dramatic matches of the tournament.

Carlos Alcaraz vs Taylor Fritz: ATP Finals 2025 

Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz produced one of the most thrilling matches of the ATP Finals group stage in Turin, pushing the world number one to the edge. Fritz set the tone early, serving with real authority and taking control of the rallies, edging out the first set in a tense tiebreak.

The American kept the pressure on in the second set, forcing Alcaraz deep behind the baseline and creating several early break chances as the Spaniard searched for his rhythm. For a moment, it looked like Fritz had him on the ropes.

But Alcaraz found a way, as he so often does. A gritty, fourteen-minute service hold proved to be the turning point, swinging the momentum firmly in his favor. From there, his confidence grew and his shot-making became more aggressive and precise.

By the time the match reached a deciding set, the physical and mental strain began to show on Fritz, while Alcaraz looked energized and composed. The Spaniard struck decisively with a break for 4–2 and never let go, closing out the match with a commanding final service game.

With the comeback win, Alcaraz stayed unbeaten in the Jimmy Connors Group and took another confident step toward finishing the year as world number one.

Lorenzo Musetti vs Alex de Minaur: ATP Finals 2025 

Lorenzo Musetti claimed his first career ATP Finals victory in unforgettable style, outlasting Alex de Minaur in a thrilling three-set battle fueled by resilience and the roar of the home crowd in Turin.

The Italian had entered the tournament as a last-minute replacement following Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal and was clearly feeling the effects of a long, draining week. A loss to Taylor Fritz the night before only added to the challenge.

Against de Minaur, Musetti pushed through heavy legs and fatigue to edge a tight opening set. The Australian responded by lifting his intensity, taking control of the match and forcing a decider. When de Minaur surged to a 5–3 lead in the final set, the contest appeared to be slipping away from the Italian.

But with the crowd behind him, Musetti found another gear. Playing with renewed belief and fearless shot-making, he erased the deficit and stormed through the final stretch, winning four consecutive games to close out a stunning 7–5, 3–6, 7–5 victory. He sealed the moment in style, finishing with a spectacular running forehand winner as the arena erupted.

Carlos Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner: French Open 2025

Carlos Alcaraz’s five-hour, 29-minute victory over Jannik Sinner in the 2025 French Open final instantly took its place in tennis mythology. It had everything that defines a truly transcendent match: brutal physical demands, constant tactical adjustment, and extraordinary mental strength.

For long stretches, Sinner controlled the baseline and looked the superior player. Alcaraz fell two sets behind and later stared down three match points. On a stage where history often weighs heaviest, he refused to yield. Instead, he unleashed bold, fearless shot-making that turned the match on its head, swinging momentum in ways rarely seen in a Grand Slam final.

What lifted the contest from a great match to the match of the year was the sustained brilliance on both sides and the razor-thin margins separating victory from defeat. The level reached in the later sets left even the game’s greats stunned, with Mats Wilander, Jim Courier, and John McEnroe all suggesting the quality surpassed even the greatest battles of the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic era.

Sinner won more points overall, carried a break advantage in the deciding set, and time after time pushed Alcaraz to the edge. Each time, Alcaraz answered with a rare blend of speed, creativity, and mental toughness that few players anywhere in the sport can match.

Every rally felt like a clash of styles and sheer will, building toward a decisive tiebreak in which Alcaraz played almost flawless tennis. By the time the final ball was struck, it was clear this was not just the defining match of 2025, but one of the greatest Grand Slam finals the game has ever seen.

Cover Credits - Sky Sports