ATP Newport: Alexander Bublik - The eccentric about first career title
In Newport, Alexander Bublik is well on the way to registering himself as a tournament winner for the first time at ATP level. For a long time, however, the Kazakhs did not give the impression of pursuing such goals.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Jul 16, 2021, 07:09 am
"To be honest, I don't see any positive thing about being a professional tennis player. I only play for the money. If there wasn't any money, I would stop immediately," said Alexander Bublik about a year ago on the sidelines of the ATP -Tournaments in Marseille, months earlier the Kazakh had been quite loud about how little pleasure he was from tennis.
"I hate tennis, with all my heart. Hate tennis. The ugliest of all sports. I hate every day I have to play it. I hate to fight, I don't like it," said the world number 37. back then namely to himself. Well, almost exactly a year and a half later, Bublik is well on the way to winning its first ATP-level title.
Bublik in the semifinals
At the - admittedly sparse - ATP 250 event in Newport, the 24-year-old is number one in the race, and is already in the semifinals after a hard-fought win against Ivo Karlovic and a clear win over Jason Jung. In this it is now against Kevin Anderson. The South African stopped in the quarterfinals Jack Sock, who was able to end a quarterfinal curse in Newport for the first time.
The draw on the other half is already wide open - the number two of the tournament, Sam Querrey, has already failed, as has the Canadian Vasek Pospisil. Peter Gojowczyk, who will meet Jenson Brooksby in the quarter-finals, has a good chance of doing well. The path to winning the title in Newport, however, probably leads through one man: Alexander Bublik.