Alexander Bublik continues to thrive in the altitude at the Generali Open in Kitzbuhel.
The World No.11 took out Alex Molcan 6-3, 6-2 to reach the semifinals on Thursday.
Bublik had a complicated ride in the second set, as he served five double faults in a singles game to give a break advantage back to Molcan.
“The most important shot in tennis is the serve, so everyone who is watching can take really good advice from this game,” Bublik said in his on-court interview. “You can serve five double faults, you can still win the match.”
Bublik rifled through the final four games to clinch victory in 70 minutes.
Bublik, the first defending champion to reach the semifinals since Robin Haase in 2013, will face Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the semis.
29-year-old Bublik is 6-1 lifetime in Kitzbuhel, and into his 27th ATP semifinal, and fifth of 2026.
“I think he’s a great player,” Bublik said of fourth-seeded Etcheverry. “This year he won his first ATP title on clay. I’ve played him already [a couple] of times. This is going to be a very challenging match but I’ll just try to get ready, hope to be feeling well, and I’m just going to serve well.”
Yannick Hanfmann, the oldest semifinalist in tournament history, will face France’s Quentin Halys in the other semifinal.
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