"I was close to calling it quits after Wimbledon" - Alexander Bublik gets emotional as he recalls past struggles after winning Halle title

Alexander Bublik delivered a knockout performance against Daniil Medvedev to clinch his second title at Halle on June 22. After the striking 6-3, 7-6(4) win, Bublik revealed that he was close to quitting his tennis career last year after struggling with form, driven by early losses in Halle and Wimbledon.

Things turned around for him gradually since his Phoenix Challenger run this year, followed by strong performances in Madrid and Roland Garros. He had dropped out of the Top 80 of the ATP rankings in March, after his rise to No. 17 in May 2024. However, after this week, he will make a steep rise to the Top 30, cementing his return to form.

At the on-court interview after ousting his Russian opponent, Bublik emotionally confessed how this win is not just a remarkable moment but a career-defining one, as it helped him gain back his much-needed confidence.

“I had such tough months since last Wimbledon till probably this summer. I was close to calling it quits after Wimbledon because I was not enjoying it anymore. I promised my coach that I would stay there and keep practising," he said. "And after Wimbledon, we will make a decision about whether I need to take a couple of months off before trying to come back. Well this is happening. I don’t know. Quarters at the French [Open], winner here. I have no words,” Alexander Bublik added.

He also defeated the current World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the second round of the tournament.

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Alexander Bublik's sweet message to Daniil Medvedev after win

Alexander Bublik with Daniil Medvedev and Boris Becker after win - Image Source: Getty

In addition to winning his fifth ATP title in an extraordinary run, Alexander Bublik broke his Daniil Medvedev curse at the Halle Open. The Kazakh had only won one set against him (Toronto, 2021) in their past seven clashes, all of which were won by Medvedev.

Joyous after this win, he showed gratitude to Medvedev with a heartfelt message.

"Daniil, I've been cursed to play you forever and never won a set in my life, but today I'm happy to get through, and I wish you -- you're a great champion -- I wish you a lot of success. I mean, to win, to beat you here, it's a privilege for me," said Bublik during the trophy ceremony.

Alexander Bublik also became the fourth player after Tommy Haas (2 titles), Yevgeny Kafelnikov (3 titles) and Roger Federer (10 titles) to claim more than one title in the 32-year history of the tournament.

Edited by Luke Koshi