By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday February 4, 2024
Alexander Bublik rallied from a set down and made ATP history in the process in Montpellier.
Photo Source: TTV
Alexander Bublik was a man on the brink of defeat all week at the Open 13 in Montpellier – that’s what made his run to a fourth career title so remarkable.
Bublik became the first title winner in ATP history to secure all of his wins from a set down as he completed the quartet of dramatic victories with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Croatia’s Borna Coric on Sunday at the Sud de France Arena.
Bublik hammered 19 aces, saved five of seven break points – including all four he faced in a tense final set – and won 80 percent of his first-serve points to secure his fourth career title, and second in Montpellier in three years.
“I have no words, honestly,” Bublik said. “I was on the verge of losing in the first round and now I’m standing here with the title.
“If I continue like this I will have more of my pictures here so I’m very happy.”
Bublik’s week began in ominous fashion, and he very easily could have been bundled out during his first match of the week, a 1-6, 7-6(12), 6-3 victory that saw him save a trio of match points to slip past the left-handed Canadian.
He then lost the opener to Alexander Shevchenko in the quarterfinals, before coming through 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. In the semifinals, Felix Auger-Aliassime took the first set from Bublik, but couldn’t handle the hard-serving 26-year-old down the stretch as the Kazakh prevailed 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
It was more of the same on Sunday as Bublik blew a 4-1 lead in the opening set to fall behind Coric, who was bidding for his fourth ATP title as well. Not to worry.
“After 4-1 [in the opening set] I asked my coach what should I do,” Bublik joked. “He gave me good advice so I lost the set again.”
Thanks to his triumph, Bublik will rise to a career-high ranking of No.23 in the world on Monday – he entered the week at No.27.
He is the first ATP player to win a title from match point down in 2024 – it happened nine times in 2024, and was achieved twice by Novak Djokovic and Hubert Hurkacz.
Of Bublik’s four ATP titles, three have come indoors. He improves to 56-37 lifetime under a roof, with three career titles.
Coric drops to 3-6 in ATP finals, and missed out on hid bid to raise a trophy on tour for the first time since he won the Cincinnati title in 2022. He entered the final having not dropped a set but could not tame Bublik, who was in full flight down the stretch, particularly under pressure.
Bublik brilliantly swept aside two break points while serving at 3-1, 15-40, then rose to the occasion again two games later, saving another of break points while serving at 4-2.