MONTPELLIER, France: Alexander Bublik again lost the first set before rallying to beat Borna Coric 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 and win the Open Sud de France on Sunday for his fourth career title.
The second-seeded Kazakh dropped the first set in every match he played at the indoor tournament in Montpellier. The ATP website said he is the first player to win an ATP tour event having lost the first set in each of his matches.
“I was on the verge of losing in my opening round, now here I am standing with the title. Thank you to the crowd for supporting me throughout the week,” said Bublik, who also won the tournament in 2022. “Maybe if I continue playing like this, I will have more of my pictures here (in the arena), so I’m really happy.”
Bublik blew a 4-1 lead in the first set to give the fourth-seeded Coric a chance to clinch his fourth career title and first indoors.
But Bublik's big serve gave him 19 aces and helped him win 80% of his first-serve points.
Bublik will jump four places to reach a career-high of 23rd when the latest ATP rankings are released on Monday.
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He has 16 career ATP titles although the last came in Geneva in 2017.
Wawrinka reached a high of third in the world in 2014, but he has struggled with injuries in past years and is now ranked 157th.
His 582 tour-level wins are fourth most among active players, just behind Gael Monfils, who also plans to retire at the end of next year.
Wawrinka won Olympic gold in doubles alongside Federer at Beijing in 2008 and helped deliver a first Davis Cup triumph for Switzerland in 2014.
He is due to begin his final season in Perth at the United Cup, which starts on January 2.
Bublik rallies once again to beat Coric and win Open Sud de France
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Bublik rallies once again to beat Coric and win Open Sud de France
- Bublik will jump four places to reach a career-high of 23rd when the latest ATP rankings are released on Monday
Three-time Grand Slam winner Wawrinka to retire in 2026
- “It’s time to write the final chapter of my career as a professional tennis player. 2026 will be my last year on tour,” Wawrinka posted Friday
- His 582 tour-level wins are fourth most among active players
PARIS: Stan Wawrinka says the 2026 season will be his last as the three-time Grand Slam singles champion aims to finish his career “on the best note possible.”
“Every book needs an ending. It’s time to write the final chapter of my career as a professional tennis player. 2026 will be my last year on tour,” Wawrinka posted Friday on social media.
Wawrinka, who turns 41 in March, won the Australian Open in 2014, the French Open a year later and the US Open in 2016, at a time when Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were dominating men’s tennis.
He has 16 career ATP titles although the last came in Geneva in 2017.
Wawrinka reached a high of third in the world in 2014, but he has struggled with injuries in past years and is now ranked 157th.
His 582 tour-level wins are fourth most among active players, just behind Gael Monfils, who also plans to retire at the end of next year.
Wawrinka won Olympic gold in doubles alongside Federer at Beijing in 2008 and helped deliver a first Davis Cup triumph for Switzerland in 2014.
He is due to begin his final season in Perth at the United Cup, which starts on January 2.
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