Paris Masters: Bublik adjusts to new arena, moves into second round
Alexander Bublik defeated Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 6-3 on Monday evening.
Alexander Bublik, 2025 | © Zuma PsNews
Kazakh Alexander Bublik, the No 13 seed, reached the second round of Paris Masters by beating Australian Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 6-3 at the La Défense Arena on Monday evening, even if he “was not entirely happy with the way (he) played.”
“A win is a win, Bublik said. I’m not entirely happy with the way I played, mainly because the conditions are new. The ceiling is high, the courts are slow, and the balls feel different. We’ve used these balls for a while – I played with the same ones in Hangzhou and Beijing – but they all feel different here. So, you just have to get used to it.”
Bublik saved three out of four break points and took Popyrin’s serve three times. “I stayed solid in the important moments and I used my chances. So yes, I’m happy with the win.”
“The site is amazing”, he added. “It’s a really good work from the organizers to bring such venue to us. And we’re really happy. I mean, myself, I’m really happy with the venue, and it’s a pleasure to be here inside.”
Bublik, ranked No 16, will play the winner of the match between Frenchman Corentin Moutet and American lucky loser Reilly Opelka next.
Paris Masters 1000, other first-round results (La Défense Arena, hard, EUR 6.128.940, most recent results first):
- Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs. Valentin Royer
- Jaume Munar vs. Daniil Medvedev
- Denis Shapovalov vs. Joao Fonseca
- Corentin Moutet vs. Reilly Opelka
- Tomas Martin Etcheverry vs. Camilo Ugo Carabelli
- Tallon Griekspoor vs. Gabriel Diallo
- Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. Francisco Comesana
- Valentin Vacherot vs. Jiri Lehecka
- Karen Khachanov vs. Ethan Quinn
- Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard vs. Grigor Dimitrov
- Alexandre Muller vs. Brandon Nakashima
- Lorenzo Sonego vs. Sebastian Korda: monday
- Alex Michelsen vs. Zizou Bergs: monday
- Andrey Rublev (12) beat Jacob Fearnley (Q): 6-1, 6-4
- Francisco Cerundolo beat Damir Dzumhur (Q): 6-3, 6-3
- Miomir Kecmanovic beat Aleksandar Kovacevic (LL): 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (2)
- Aleksandar Vukic (Q) beat Terence Atmane (WC): 6-4, 2-6, 6-4
- Arthur Rinderknech (WC) beat Fabian Marozsan: 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4)
- Learner Tien beat Nuno Borges: 6-2, 7-6 (7)
- Cameron Norrie beat Sebastian Baez: 6-3, 6-4
- Flavio Cobolli beat Tomas Machac: 6-1, 6-4
- Arthur Cazaux (WC) beat Luciano Darderi: 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4)
- Daniel Altmaier beat Marcos Giron: 6-2, 7-6 (5)
