TennisNH

Bublik Bounces Back In Antalya, Now Plays De Minaur For Title

12-Jan-2021 12:26:00 | ATP World Tour

Alexander Bublik dominated on serve early on, but was ultimately forced to work hard on Tuesday for a place in the Antalya Open final.

The eighth-seeded Kazakhstani eventually beat Jeremy Chardy of France 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3 in two hours and five minutes for a place in his third ATP Tour title match (also 2019 Newport and Chengdu).

After the match, Bublik admitted: “I got injured in the middle of the match and considered pulling out, but I said myself, ‘Okay, I will give it a try.’ I then served unbelievably, the best since Chengdu 2019. I served almost every serve full power and I was lucky to win the match.”

Bublik will next face fourth-seeded Australian Alex de Minaur for the first time. De Minaur overcame second seed David Goffin of Belgium earlier in the day.

Bublik led by a set and 4-2 before Chardy fought back to lead 5-4 in the second set. Chardy then held on to save two break points at 5-5 then produced a strong performance in the tie-break, which ended when Bublik struck his seventh double fault.

In the deciding set, 23-year-old Bublik saved six break points — two in the first game and four at 3-3 — before he broke Chardy for a 5-3 advantage.

Bublik recorded the second biggest win of his career on Monday by beating World No. 10 Matteo Berrettini in the Antalya quarter-finals. Chardy, 33, had been bidding to reach the fourth ATP Tour final of his career (2009 Johannesburg, 2009 Stuttgart and 2018 's-Hertogenbosch).