Alexander Bublik claimed his first ATP Tour title at the Open Sud de France Sunday, edging World No. 3 Alexander Zverev in Montpellier Final.
Following an impressive week in Montpellier, Alexander Bublik won his maiden title at tour-level in his fifth career final.
The 24-year-old prevented world number three Alexander Zverev from achieving a 20th ATP title, upsetting the 2017 Open Sud de France champion in straight sets 6-4, 6-3.
In his on-court interview, Bublik stated: “I played four finals before and [in] the fifth final I have won against a great player against Sascha. It is great. All my game together. I was serving well and returned well and kept my nerve. I was lucky in the moments, and when I had my chances, I used them.”
The Kazakhstani ranked No. 35 earned his first Top 5 victory at the ATP 250 tournament over the Hamburg native in a quest to become the seventh active player to win at least 20 ATP titles.
En route to the final, Bublik first met Dutch player Tallon Griekspoor, a tight match from which he emerged victorious 7-6(4), 7-6(5).
Furthermore, Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert tested the 2021 Singapore finalist in three sets, with the latter ultimately prevailing 6-3, 6-7, 6-2.
On top of that, he overcame three seeds – including the Top-seeded German player, scoring solid triumphs over the likes of second seed and World No. 19 Roberto Bautista Agut, as fifth seed Filip Krajinovic in their semifinal encounter.
“To everybody who’s been with me, thank you very much for the support”, he added during the trophy ceremony.
All in all, Bublik won 86 percent of his first-serve points to Zverev’s 63 percent, converting four out of eight breakpoints opportunities, hitting eight aces and three double faults throughout the match.
Bublik’s next challenge already awaits him in Rotterdam; last year, he earned the biggest win of his career until today, also defeating Zverev – ranked No. 7 at the time, in straight sets 7-5, 6-3.
In the first round of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament, he will face former world number one Andy Murray on Tuesday.
The 34-year-old and 2009 champion will attempt to win his second title at the event. He will have Dani Vallverdu by his side while Stan Wawrinka continues recovering from injury, though the Briton’s search for a permanent coach continues.
It will be Murray’s first match since falling in the second round of the Australian Open to Japanese player Taro Daniel.
In the warm-up to the first major of the season, the Scot advanced to the Sydney Tennis Classic tournament final, his first since 2009 – lost to World No. 15 Aslan Karatsev 6-3, 6-3 last month in Melbourne.
In their Head2Head series, Murray leads Bublik 1-0.
