Every week, LastWordOnTennis will highlight a player to keep an eye on as tournaments are played around the world. This week’s selection is Alexander Bublik.
Bublik is competing in a stacked draw at the Qatar Open. This is the first time since Brisbane in 2017 that a 250-level event includes seven of the world’s top 20 players, so the level of competition cannot be understated. Bublik, however, is in the form of his life and should be up to the challenge. Here are the reasons why the World #44’s matches should be a highlight this week.
Comfortable at this level
Bublik has been very comfortable at 250-level events this year. He has won eight of his eleven 250-level matches, reaching the finals of Singapore and Antalya, where he lost to Alexei Popyrin and Alex de Minaur, respectively.
Using his booming serve, which can reach speeds upwards of 130mph, he has breezed passed qualifier Ramkumar Ramanathan. His second-round match-up against world #13, Roberto Bautista Agut, will be a much sterner test, but Bublik’s current form could see him eliminate the Spanish veteran. Bublik defeated World #10 Matteo Berrettini only a couple of months ago so the Kazakh will be confident in his ability.
Bublik is a magician on-court
Bublik’s wide arsenal of shots means he is anything but just a big serve. He can hit a tweener passing shot or a tweener lob and has an incredibly deft touch. He has successfully tried his hand at Roger Federer’ SABR (“sneak attack by Roger:) and can hit a stunning two-handed backhand down the line. Slapped forehand winners, inside-out smashes, faked drop-shots–you name it, Bublik has got it.
Bulik can be prone to attempting these shots at inopportune moments. What he might lack in discipline, however, he makes up for by providing the viewer with ultimate entertainment.
The unpredictability factor
For those missing the antics of Nick Kyrgios, Bublik is the perfect pick-me-up. He has borrowed a few tricks from tennis’s infamous loose cannon on-court and it makes for a spectacle. In some of the most important moments, Bublik will put everything on the line with a second serve faster than his first. He has been known to use the underarm serve effectively, often to the disdain of the opponent on the other side of the net – he threw one in on Monday to seal the match against Ramanathan.
Where Kyrgios can often be seen scowling, however, Bublik has always got a cheeky grin on his face. Though he has made his dislike for tennis public in the past, his recent success and his on-court personality do not really support this statement. From his joviality towards ball-boys and ball-girls to him dismissing Singapore champion Popyrin’s handshake in lieu of a hug, it is hard to see Bublik as anything but endearing.
This Week’s Player To Watch
Alexander Bublik is playing the best tennis of his career thus far yet he continues to play audacious and unpredictable shots to aplomb. The combination of the 23-year-old’s decent form and his vast bag of tricks should make for some incredibly intriguing matches this week.
Bublik’s next match against Roberto Bautista Agut this Wednesday, 19:50 GMT.
Main Photo from Getty.
