Alexander Bublik delivered an entertaining and unpredictable performance to defeat Hubert Hurkacz in a high-quality three-set battle on Centre Court, thrilling the Rotterdam crowd with his shot-making and flair at the ATP 500 event.
First Set: Hurkacz Dominates the Tie-Break
Both players, known for their powerful serves and aggressive games, held serve comfortably throughout the opening set. Neither allowed surprises on serve, with break opportunities almost nonexistent.
The only break point of the set came in the fourth game on Bublik’s serve, when Hurkacz applied pressure but was unable to convert. That proved to be the extent of the return opportunities in the set, which was decided in a tie-break.
In the tie-break, Hurkacz took control, playing assertively and dominating the exchanges to claim it 7–2 and move one set ahead.
Second Set: Bublik Responds with Authority
Serving became slightly less dominant in the second set, and the first break chances appeared in the fifth game, once again for Hurkacz. Bublik remained composed, escaping with a series of impressive serves to hold.
At 4–4, Hurkacz finally broke through, securing the break and stepping up to serve for the match at 5–4. Bublik responded immediately, breaking back and then holding comfortably to force another tie-break.
This time, the momentum shifted completely. Bublik produced a near-flawless tie-break, serving and returning superbly to take it convincingly 7–1 and push the match into a deciding set.
Deciding Set: Margins Decide a Spectacular Contest
The final set mirrored the first, with both players untouchable on serve. No break points were created as each service game passed quickly, and points on return were rare.
The breakthrough finally came at 5–5, when Hurkacz’s level dipped slightly. Bublik seized the moment, breaking serve before stepping up to serve for the match, which he closed out calmly.
The statistics reflected the fine margins. Hurkacz finished with an astonishing 54 winners compared to 34 from Bublik, but also committed far more unforced errors (42 to 21). The match featured a remarkable 38 aces — 25 from Hurkacz and 13 from Bublik.
In total points won, Bublik edged Hurkacz 115 to 111, underlining how closely contested the match was. On this occasion, the Kazakh found the extra composure at the decisive moments to advance to the next round.
A closer look at how this dramatic contest fits into the opening round can be found in the complete first round draw