Alexander Bublik is now at the highest ranking of his entire career after winning the Hong Kong Open.
Bublik won four ATP titles and reached the quarterfinals of Roland Garros last year, in what was the best season of his career.
This enabled the Kazakhstani to end the year as the world number 11, with Boris Becker backing Bublik to break the top 10 in 2026.
It took Bublik just one week to fulfil this goal, and now former world number one Yevgeny Kafelnikov has given his verdict over whether his new ranking is actually deserved.
Yevgeny Kafelnikov gives his verdict on Alexander Bublik’s new ranking
Bublik beat new world number five Lorenzo Musetti, 7-6(2) 6-3 to win his ninth career title and fifth from the past 12 months.
This has enabled Bublik to reach his career-high ranking of world number 10, despite being ranked as low as world number 82 in March last year.
When speaking to Russian outlet First&Red, two-time Grand Slam champion Kafelnikov, who is not afraid to express his opinions, has explained why he thinks Bublik is deserving of his new ranking.
“I am absolutely sure that if you are in the top 10, if the rating shows that, then it is absolutely deserved,” said Kafelnikov. “Results will never lie.
“Believe me, over the years, when everything has passed, he will be sitting there with a cup of tea, somewhere at home, with friends, or in some pub with a beer, and this is something that cannot be taken away from him. This is a level, a status, that will stay with him for his whole life.”
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Yevgeny Kafelnikov says if he thinks Alexander Bublik can reach the Australian Open semifinals
Bublik will now look to continue his form from the start of the season into the first Grand Slam of the year at the Australian Open.
Kafelnikov was then asked if he thinks Bublik can achieve his best Grand Slam result and reach the semifinals of the Australian Open.
“No,” responded Kafelnikov. “Well, in order to get to that stage, he will most likely have to play either [Carlos] Alcaraz or [Jannik] Sinner.”
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Kafelnikov’s response is supported by Bublik’s previous results at the Australian Open, which is by far his worst-performing major tournament.
Having won only 30% of his matches at the tournament, Bublik is still yet to surpass the second round of the Australian Open.
| Year | Alexander Bublik’s Australian Open Result |
| 2017 | Second Round |
| 2020 | First Round |
| 2021 | Second Round |
| 2022 | Second Round |
| 2023 | First Round |
| 2024 | First Round |
| 2025 | First Round |
This includes Bublik losing in the first round of the Australian Open for the past three years of the tournament.
Bublik will be hoping to avoid a repeat of this when the Australian Open main draw gets underway on Sunday, January 18.
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