Alexander Bublik, the unpredictable (and irascible) tennis player: another unusual reaction in the middle of a fit of rage

There are tennis players who are often on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Or that they are provocative. Or they have parents who often talk to rivals. It is enough to see who is on the field at that moment to feel the need to pay attention to every detail, since at any moment the catastrophe can unleash. Inside or outside the cout.

You think of the Australian Nick Kyrgios, as talented as he is unpredictable in his reactions. Or in the Frenchman Courentin Moutet, the one his colleagues would line up to hit. Why not in Apostolos Tsitsipas, the father of Stefanos, the exquisite Greek player, who usually becomes a speaker in the audience, altering the behavior of his son’s opponents. In the list we can include, of course, Kazakh Alexander Bublik, members of that batch of tennis players who “let go of the chain” in matches.

In 2022, 25-year-old Bublik, 50th in the ranking, came up with the idea of ​​serving from below six times in the same game, in his defeat against the American Frances Tiafoe in the third round of Wimbledon. Yes, in the All England, such the self-confidence of her. In the fourth point of the fourth (and, finally, definitive) set, the European began to resort to that type of service when she was 0-3 on the scoreboard and 40-30, after having won the first set and lost both following. That point lasted for several minutes in the first turn on court 2, the Kazakh even committed a double fault while in advantage and the American would win the game 3-6, 7-6 (7-1), 7 -6 (7-3) and 6-4.

What Bublik did caused that time even Kyrgios himself made mention of the case. “If I had done the same as Bublik, they would have sanctioned me. I love what he did and it’s different, but I would have been accused of letting me win and I would have been fined around £15,000,” said the Greek.

But soon after, at the ATP 250 in Metz, he doubled down. He was in the final with the Italian ascendant Lorenzo Sonego. The Kazakh, seeded seventh, trailed 7-6, 3-1. He was serving 30-40 and his first serve was impressive, strong and open, on Sonego’s backhand, which he could barely respond to. Point won? Despite the service, the ball answered by the Italian, who took height, looked like it was going to pass on the other side of the net. But it was clear that, barring an unforeseen event, the server would win the point with the next shot and would establish the corresponding deuce. Of course, no one foresaw that the unforeseen event would be nonsense, crazy. Bublik couldn’t think of a bigger nonsense than… catch the racket upside down. Then, to the general surprise, he hit a kind of flawed smash with the handle of the racket that Sonego neutralized backhand. Demanded, the “creative” Kazakh could barely volley, he unusually lost the point and the game. Unusual!

This Wednesday, Bublik, as the sixth seed, debuted in the ATP 250 of Montpellierwhere the Danish Holger Rune and the Italian Jack Sinner are the top favourites. Extensive match with the Italian Gregoire Barrere, 28 years old and located 75th in the ranking. First set for the Frenchman 6-4. In the second, Bublik prevailed in a tough tie-break 14-12. And in the decisive set, again to the sudden definition. It was then that Barriere, more balanced and determined, did his job better and went up 6-0. Everything in favor to win the match. Bublik couldn’t stand it and before changing sides, he unleashed his fury and broke… three rackets in a row, without respite. Of course, it was very harmonious: for each racket he used four blows, that is, he “relieved” with 12 impacts on the ground, to the perplexity of all. “He went crazy,” they said in the stands. No one expected such a reaction.

His incredible reaction allowed him to release tension and win the next three points. But finally Barrere prevailed 7-3 in the tie-break and secured the victory. For Bublik, in addition to the warnings for bad behavior on the field and perhaps a fine, there was another questionable attitude. And the demonstration that, far from being established, is almost a hopeless case…

To break rackets…

THE NATION