Nicolas Jarry fights body & mind into Wimbledon R3 | ATP Tour

Player Features

‘Impossible to play with this,’ Jarry fights body & mind into Wimbledon R3

Chilean plays #NextGenATP Fonseca on Friday at Wimbledon

July 03, 2025

Hindered for the best part of a year by a nerve disorder in his ear, Nicolas Jarry is digging deep to get back to winning ways this Wimbledon.

At a career-high No. 16 in the PIF ATP Rankings as recently as May 2024, Jarry’s form fell off a cliff after he reached that month’s Internazionali BNL d’Italia final. The Chilean won just three further tour-level matches across the rest of 2024, while he has added only eight more so far in 2025. However, two of those have come this week at Wimbledon.

The main cause for Jarry’s struggles this past year? Vestibular neuritis, a disorder caused by sudden inflammation of the vestibular nerve, which connects the inner ear to the brain. It is usually caused by a viral infection and Jarry’s symptoms have included the sudden onset of vertigo, dizziness and difficulty maintaining balance.

While he has played mostly a full schedule since he began suffering from the condition, Jarry’s results in the past 12 months make the impact of the disorder plain to see.

“It’s impossible to play with this,” Jarry told ATPTour.com at the All England Club. “I’ve been trying to accept that and trying to see people to help me improve it. Right now, I’ve been able to improve some other skills that the injury takes away. So I’ve been able to level that and maximise whatever I have.

“Every day is a battle. Every month it’s a bit better. I have to reteach my body and my eyes to do certain things. Every time it’s a bit better, so while I improve in my tennis, the other skills also are improving on the same path. It’s only time, and right now I’ve been able to have a good all-around package to be able to compete at this level.”

Learn More About Chile’s Nicolas Jarry:

Jarry’s resurgence has been clear at Wimbledon, where he came through qualifying before coming from two sets down to stun eighth seed Holger Rune in the first round. A straightforward second-round triumph against Learner Tien followed, and on Friday the World No. 143 will test himself further in his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting against the fast-rising Joao Fonseca.

While Jarry often travels with his family on Tour, he says his methods to combat the mental struggle caused by his vestibular neuritis have mostly involved personal reflection. Those will likely be the same mental aids he turns to as he bids to overcome Fonseca and reach the fourth round at Wimbledon for the first time.

“Everything that I’ve learned on my journey [has helped me],” said the 29-year-old. “It’s talking, it’s focusing on the right thing. It’s working hard. It’s accepting. It’s praying.

“It’s everything that I know and that everybody knows works in a way and trying to stick with it and have faith.”

Jarry the warrior ⚔️

He battles through from two sets down to overcome 8th seed Rune 4-6 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-4 🔥Wimbledon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Wimbledon | Wimbledon?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/9SWYd9jBtm

— ATP Tour (@atptour) June 30, 2025

A three-time ATP Tour champion, Jarry has been through as many ups and downs as could be expected for a pro tennis player. Yet the unpredictable nature of vestibular neuritis and his recovery time from the disorder have tested Jarry in a way he has never experienced before. Now, he feels he has finally turned a corner.

“It was the toughest challenge of my career,” reflected Jarry of his struggles in the second half of 2024. “At the end of last year, it was a very difficult moment in my life. I struggled a lot. I had some weeks where I was really, really low.

“I’ve been trying to go only week to week. At the beginning of the year, it was also very tough, but not as tough as last year. I think the most difficult part is in the past.”