Superb Bublik bamboozles Draper to reach maiden Roland-Garros quarter-final
The Kazakh recovered to beat Draper 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 at Roland-Garros and move into a career-first Grand Slam quarter-final
Alexander Bublik, Roland-Garros 2025 | © Roger Parker/IPS/Shutterstock;:SIPA
Alexander Bublik (KAZ) celebrates winning his Fourth Round match against Jack Draper (GBR) at Roland Garros 2025
Roland Garros 2025, Grand Slam Tennis, Paris, France, 02/01/2023/shutterstock_editorial_Roland_Garros_2025_Grand_Slam_15338113c//2506022212
Alexander Bublik put together one of the finest performances of his career to knock out an in-form Jack Draper 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 and reach a maiden Grand Slam quarter-final at Roland-Garros.
A perennially mercurial talent, Bublik always has the dynamism and variety to disrupt anyone’s rhythm yet frequently gets lost in his inclination to entertain, often to the detriment of his results.
Today, though, the Kazakh remained remarkably composed to see out the biggest win of his career. Clay is a surface that lends itself to versatility, and Bublik’s was on full display as he supplemented a deft touch with a devastating serve to leave the crowd on Suzanne Lenglen in raptures.
brilliant bublik maintains level after close first set
The opening set was close. It took until the eleventh game of the match for the first break point to emerge, with Draper converting the only breakthrough of the set courtesy of an ill-timed double-fault from his opponent. The Briton then confidently served out the first set, relieved to have absorbed most of what Bublik threw at him across a competitive opener.
Draper initially looked to have successfully harnessed the impetus from a one-set lead as he broke again in the opening game of the second, only for Bublik to hit straight back before going on to break again in the sixth game which was enough to see him draw level at one set apiece.
Heading into the third, it was now the Kazakh who appeared to have the momentum behind him, exhibiting the best of his vibrant and varied game style to keep Draper off balance. Bublik struck twice in the third stanza, pouncing in the third game to nudge ahead for the first time in the contest before breaking again in the fifth to seal a two-sets-to-one lead, as an increasingly rattled Draper looked to be struggling to contain Bublik’s flamboyant and effective tennis.
A large part of Draper’s success in recent months has been built around his powerful serve and forehand overawing his opponents. But Bublik utilised his ability to disrupt a player’s usual rhythm excellently, making regular use of drop shots to frequently leave the Briton stranded.
That trend continued deep into the fourth set, with Bublik breaking in the opening game to take full command of proceedings. A series of gutsy holds from both kept the contest alive, before an epic tenth and final game saw three break points come and go for Draper as his opponent alternated between double-faults and clean aces in a frantic finish that did a wonderful match justice.
emotional bublik hails the “best moment of my life”
Draper did little wrong, and simply came up against an opponent whose game was operating at its very best throughout the match. He will rue the chance to test himself in a maiden French Open quarter-final, but can turn to the grass-court season feeling his game is in hugely exciting shape.
Ultimately, though, it was Bublik who came through to extend his Roland-Garros run into territories that the Kazakh has never entered before.
“Sometimes in life there is only one chance, and I had a feeling that was mine. I couldn’t let it slip. Standing here is the best moment of my life – period,” an unusually emotional Bublik told the Parisian crowd as they happily serenaded his achievement.
“Thank you guys, that was amazing. I’m standing here like I won the thing, but what can I say! I can’t cry here – come on, let me be in peace.
“I still have a match to go, I’m a professional tennis player and I’ve got to get ready.”
It will be a first Grand Slam quarter-final for Bublik, where he will face either Jannik Sinner or Andrey Rublev in what promises to be another captivating match.
