Despite a first-round loss at Wimbledon, Alexander Bublik is having his “greatest season” on the tour.
Bublik of Kazakhstan said so in his victory speech on Sunday after winning his sixth ATP Tour singles title – and first title on clay – at Gstaad in the Swiss Alps.
Bublik, 28, defeated Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in the final, telling his opponent afterward that the tough match was “complete torture.”
The Russia-born player reached the quarterfinals at the French Open in early June, falling to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. It was his best performance in a major tournament. Bublik then won the Halle grass court tournament, raising expectations for Wimbledon. But he lost there to Jaume Munar in five sets in the first round. Then came the run to the ATP 250 title in Gstaad, where Bublik said he wouldn’t have minded losing early because the view of the Alps was so beautiful.
Bublik, who was ranked as low as world no. 82 in mid-March, will be back in the top 30 on Monday because of the Gstaad win, according to the ATP.
“This was probably one of the toughest seasons but yet it’s the greatest season I’m having,” he said.
