Alexander Bublik shocked the field at the Halle Open by claiming his fifth singles title and second at this event.
The Kazakhstan star last won the event in 2023 when he overcame Andrey Rublev, and yesterday he was victorious again with a straight-sets win over Daniil Medvedev.
Bublik will now be seeded going into Wimbledon, and with grass courts looking like his favoured surface, he could enjoy a solid run at the tournament.
John McEnroe questioned Bublik after his win over Jack Draper at the French Open, and after making the quarters there, he will want to go deep again at SW19.
Alexander Bublik makes point about Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal
Make no bones about it, Bublik at his best is a top player and a dangerous opponent for the best in the sport.
Bublik has risen to number 30 in the ATP world rankings and has been as high as number 17 previously.
Given that Bublik always looks to express himself in a jovial manner on the court, there’s a perception that he doesn’t care as much as he should and feels minimal pressure.
The 28-year-old has dismissed that notion and used Federer and Nadal to make his point.
He said in his press conference: “That is false. The moment when an athlete does not feel any pressure, he will not be able to play.
“Even when we see the greats – Roger, Rafa, Novak, Carlos, Jannik. They all feel pressure. Even though they are super good, they don’t want to show it to people or the opponents and to maintain their level, so they don’t drop the level when they are intense.
“But I think the moment you don’t feel anything, what is the point of playing? You can play in your backyard. Especially if you have been around on tour for many years, you can afford that.
“If you say you don’t feel any emotions or care if you win or lose, it makes no sense to play a professional sport.”
Bublik can be seriously dangerous at Wimbledon
It’s surprising that Bublik has never been beyond round four at Wimbledon, and he will want to change that this year.
In beating Draper at the French Open and Medvedev at Halle, he has showcased that on his day, he can mix it with the big hitters.
A fire appears to have been lit inside Bublik, and it looks as though he’s keen to really kick on and continue climbing the rankings in 2025.
Nobody is suggesting for one minute that Bublik can win Wimbledon, but there is genuine cause for optimism when it comes to him achieving a career-best run at this year’s tournament.
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