Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik recorded a huge upset in knocking out World No. 1 and defending champion Jannik Sinner 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals at the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle, Germany.
Bublik, ranked No. 45, had lost to Sinner in the French Open quarterfinals earlier this month. The Italian had not lost to any player other than Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, who beat him in the Paris final as well as in Rome in May, since August 2024.
The 2023 champion in Halle, Bublik recorded 36 winners (including 15 aces) and saved 8 of 9 break points while converting 2 of 6.
Second-seeded Alexander Zverev of German rallied past Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2), and seventh-seeded Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic dominated Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan 6-2, 6-3 in 59 minutes. Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry ousted fourth-seeded Andrey Rublev of Russia 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (6); eighth-seeded Karen Khachanov of Russia downed Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 1-6, 6-3; and Italy’s Flavio Cobolli eliminated Canada’s Denis Shapovalov 7-6 (2), 4-6, 7-6 (5).
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Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz had to battle before emerging with his career-high 15th consecutive victory, downing fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar 6-4, 6-7 (7), 7-5 to reach the quarterfinals at Queen’s Club in London.
Alcaraz wasted two match points in the second-set tiebreaker and had to rally from 2-4 in the third set of a match lasting three hours, 23 minutes. He had 49 winners and converted 4 of 7 break-point opportunities, to 2 of 12 for Munar.
Next up for Alcaraz is French lucky loser Arthur Rinderknech, who ousted American Reilly Opelka 7-5, 7-6 (3) in the Round of 16. Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic downed Canadian Gabriel Diallo 6-4, 6-2, and Great Britain’s Jacob Fearnley defeated French qualifier Corentin Moutet 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.
–Field Level Media
