Alexander Bublik capped off an incredible week in Halle when he defeated Daniil Medvedev to win the Terra Wortmann Open on Sunday.
World No. 45 Bublik beat the likes of world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and Karen Khachanov to reach the Halle final, where he beat third seed Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6(4) to lift the title.
Triumph for the Kazakh cements an astonishing return to form for the 28-year-old, who had dropped outside of the top 80 of the ATP Rankings back in March.
However, Bublik won a challenger title at the Piemonte Open in May before a stunning run to the last eight of the French Open, his first ever Grand Slam singles quarter-final.
The Kazakh has cemented his return to form by winning the fifth ATP Tour title of his career, though he admitted he had been close to leaving the sport after a challenging few months.
“It’s tough to speak,” said Bublik, speaking to Tennis TV.
“I had such tough months since last Wimbledon until probably this summer. I was close to calling it quit [sic] after Wimbledon because I was not enjoying it anymore.
“I promised my coach that I’d stay there, that I will keep practising, after Wimbledon I will make a decision if I need to take a couple of months off before trying to come back.
“Well, [now] this is happening. Quarters French, winner here – I have no words.”
Victory for Bublik seals his latest rise back up the ATP Rankings, with the Kazakh set to move up 15 places to world No. 30 on Monday.
With Casper Ruud and Arthur Fils, both ranked above him, having withdrawn from Wimbledon, Bublik looks set to be the 28th seed at the All England Club, with action underway on June 30th.
That means he will be projected to face one of the top eight seeds in the third round, and the top seeds will likely want to avoid an early meeting against Bublik, who reached the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2023.
It is the second time that Bublik has lifted the Halle Open title, with the Kazakh having beaten Andrey Rublev to lift the title back in 2023.
And, the Kazakh is now one of just four men to have won multiple titles at the ATP 500 event.
Leading the way is tennis icon Roger Federer, whose record of 10 Halle Open titles is unlikely to ever be threatened.
Following on from Federer is former world No 1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov on three titles, with Bublik now level with former world No 2 Tommy Haas on two titles at the tournament.
Bublik is currently set to play at the Eastbourne International, which is underway this coming week.
