Following a standout season on tour, Kazakh Alexander Bublik opened his 2026 campaign in style, claiming his ninth ATP title at the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open after charging past Italian Lorenzo Musetti 7-6(2), 6-3 in 98 minutes on Sunday’s final.
Moreover, the 28-year-old achieved a new career milestone on Monday, breaking into the Top 10 for the first time while making history as the first Kazakhstani man to accomplish this feat.
During the trophy ceremony, he outlined: “The only goal for this season was to achieve the Top 10, and in the first week, I won the title, and I am in the Top 10.”
Adding: “If you had told me that last April, I would never have believed you. But it is a pleasure, and I hope to continue in the same way.”
The triumph over Musetti, who, despite finishing runner-up, clinched his Top 5 debut in the rankings, came off the back of a flawless week in Hong Kong, where he dropped just one set on his way to the final.
For his part, the second seed continued the run of form that in 2025 saw him reach the quarterfinals at the French Open, halted by world No. 2 Jannik Sinner.
From there, he never looked back, delivering world-class tennis throughout the remainder of the year, finishing with four titles (Halle, Gstaad, Kitzbuhel, and Hangzhou) on three different surfaces.
In every championship match he advanced to, he surged victorious, finishing a breakthrough season at a career-high world No. 11.
Today, he is on a 34-9 run since the French Open with no intention to slow down, having climbed one spot to world’s No. 10 in the lead-up to the season’s first major, the Australian Open, running at Melbourne Park from next Sunday.