Photo credit: Terra Wortmann Open Facebook
The sight of Daniil Medvedev across the net invoked futility feelings in Alexander Bublik for the past decade.
Today, a fierce Bublik blasted frustration and knocked out his nemesis for the first time in a rousing victory.
Bublik saved a set point then burst through the final six straight points defeating Medvedev 6-3, 7-6(4) to capture his second Halle championship in the last three years.
On match point, Bublik banged a wide serve then dropped to his knees in joy completing the best week of his career.
Winless in seven career meetings vs. Medvedev, including six Tour-level clashes, Bublik belted 31 winners—seven more than the third seed—and did not drop serve rising up to his fifth career title and first since the 2024 Montpellier.
Afterward, a red-hot Bublik said this title run was more than redemption, it is a revitalizing moment in his career.
“It’s tough to speak. I had such tough months since last Wimbledon to probably this summer,” Bublik said. “I was close to calling it quits after Wimbledon, because I was not enjoying it anymore.
"I promised my coach that I would stay there and keep practising, and after Wimbledon we will make a decision about whether I need to take a couple of months off before trying to come back. Now this is happening. I don’t know. Quarters at the French. Winner here. I have no words.”
This win completes a wondrous week that saw Bublik rally from a set down to defeat World No.1 Jannik Sinner 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a pulsating clash of the last two champions at the ATP 500 tournament in Halle.
Coming off his rousing run to the Roland Garros quarterfinals earlier this month on his least favorite surface, Bublik solidified his status as an explosive force on grass. Bublik held in 58 of 61 service games this week and climaxed a masterful week with what he called his best win.
The 28-year-old Kazakh improved to 9-0 vs. Top 25 opponents in Halle joining Roger Federer, Tommy Haas and Yevgeny Kafelnikov as the fourth man in Halle history to win two or more titles.
A red-hot Bublik improved to 16-14 on the season, scoring his ninth win in his last 11 Tour-level matches.
Former world No. 1 Medvedev was playing for his first title since he won the 2023 ATP 1000 crown in Rome. Though Medvedev gained a set point on Bublik’s serve at 5-4, he could not close.
It was Medvedev’s sixth straight finals defeat—he fell to Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner (three times) in his last five finals—as he dropped to 20-19 in championship matches.
The two finalists are long-time friends and the man nicknamed Meddy Bear showed his class after a tough defeat helping his buddy celebrate.
They sprayed each other in dueling champagne showers with Bublik pausing at one point, opening his mouth wide and gulping down the champagne Medvedev poured on him in a funny and touching moment.
This title run propels Bublik back up to No. 30 in the rankings ahead of his return to Wimbledon where he reached the round of 16 in 2023.
In a final that saw the pair combine for 22 aces with Bublik scoring the lone break, rallies were generally brief.
Bublik saved a break point in the opening game to hold.
After that, the big-serving Bublik disarmed Medvedev, rocketing heavy serves into the corner of the box.
Bublik burst through 10 consecutive points to close a commanding 26-minute opening set. It was just the second time in seven Tour-level meetings between the pair that Bublik won the first set.
Contesting his first final in 15 months, Medvedev earned a set point in the 10th game.
Serving at 4-5, 30-40, Bublik fended off the set point navigating a hard-fought hold to level.
A final set seemed to loom in the OWL Arena, but Bublik was in no mood for three-set struggles today.
Bublik burst through six points in a row then dropped to his knees completing a masterful 81-minute triumph.