Alexander Bublik finally conquered the red dirt, lifting his first career clay-court trophy at the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad. The Kazakh second seed edged past Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo in a gripping three-set final, winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in two hours and eight minutes.
Ranked No. 34 in the ATP Rankings, Bublik powered his way to the sixth ATP title of his career and second this season. Known for his flashy style and unpredictable shot-making, he tallied 13 aces and 47 winners, showcasing both patience and power on the slow clay surface.
“This is my sixth title and I have played the greats of the game, but this final I will remember as one of the toughest I ever played. It was complete torture,” Bublik admitted after the match.
His path to glory in Gstaad included wins over Alexander Shevchenko, Francisco Comesana, Arthur Cazaux, and finally Cerundolo, who had earlier stunned top seed and two-time champion Casper Ruud in the quarterfinals. This was just the second ATP final for Cerundolo, who previously won Cordoba 2021.
Bublik has been in strong form this summer with a 17-5 win-loss record since the Madrid Open, including a quarterfinal appearance at Roland Garros and a title at the ATP 500 Halle Open. His success in Switzerland is set to propel him back into the Top 30 of the ATP Rankings.
Shapovalov Returns to Title-Winning Ways in Los Cabos
Over in Mexico, Canada’s Denis Shapovalov claimed a much-needed victory by securing the Los Cabos Open title in straight sets. This win marks a major milestone in Shapovalov’s comeback season after a challenging period with injuries and inconsistent results.
Playing with poise and precision, the Canadian lefty dominated the final, reaffirming his potential to re-enter the elite tier of men’s tennis. It was his second career ATP title and a sign that Shapo might be back in the groove.
Darderi Continues Clay Success in Bastad
Meanwhile, in Bastad, Sweden, Italy’s Luciano Darderi continued his fine form on clay, defeating Dutch underdog Jesper De Jong 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to win the Nordea Open.
The No. 6 seed, Darderi showcased a strong first serve, winning 81% of first-serve points (38 of 47) and breaking serve three times. The match was tightly contested, with only three points separating the two finalists (80–77). This marks Darderi’s third ATP title, all on clay, following wins in Marrakech and Cordoba earlier this year.
First-Round Action Kicks Off in Croatia
At the Plava Laguna Croatia Open in Umag, first-round matches began on Sunday with some gritty three-set battles.
Czech eighth seed Vit Kopriva battled from a set down to beat Belgium’s Raphael Collignon 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. Kopriva saved 11 of 16 break points and landed seven aces in a determined effort.
In another comeback win, Italy’s Francesco Passaro overcame Croatian wild card Matej Dodig 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. Passaro kept his game tidy with just 17 unforced errors, compared to Dodig’s 33.
Final Serve:
From Bublik’s historic clay breakthrough in the Swiss Alps, to Shapovalov’s revival in the Mexican sun, and Darderi’s continued clay-court brilliance in Sweden, the ATP Tour served up an exciting week of tennis action across continents.
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