Bublik breaks through: From No. 80 to Top 10 in less than a year

Alexander Bublik

Bublik breaks through: From No. 80 to Top 10 in less than a year

28-year-old is the first Kazakhstani to crack the Top 10

ATP Tour / HKCTA

Alexander Bublik rose to a career-high No. 10 in the PIF ATP Rankings after winning the title in Hong Kong. By Jerome Coombe

Alexander Bublik only needed the opening week of the 2026 season to achieve one of tennis’ greatest honours: breaking into the top Top 10 of the PIF ATP Rankings.

The 28-year-old sealed his fate on Sunday with a title run at the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open, where he defeated Lorenzo Musetti in the final. Bublik’s rise has been equal parts explosive and entertaining, underlining why he has become one of the ATP Tour’s most compelling figures.

In April of last year, he was ranked No. 80, but thanks to a dramatic shift in momentum and belief, he captured four ATP Tour titles across the season and finished 2025 at a career-high No. 11 and as the first alternate at the Nitto ATP Finals.

"The only goal for this season was to achieve the Top 10 and in the first week I have won the title and I am into the Top 10," said Bublik, who is the first Kazakhstani to crack the Top 10. "If you had told me that last April I would never have believed you.”

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT BUBLIK’S RISE:

1) Early promise, delayed lift-off

Bublik announced his potential by winning his first ATP Tour title in 2022 and followed it with at least one trophy in each of the next two seasons. Yet the start of 2025 proved sobering, as by February he had fallen outside the world’s Top 50 for the first time in two years. That dip became fuel rather than a setback.

2) Roland Garros turning point

Arriving at the 2025 clay-court major as the World No. 62, Bublik produced some of the most complete tennis of his career to reach the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time. His five-set escape against Alex de Minaur and authoritative win over Jack Draper reshaped perceptions of his durability. Even a one-sided loss to Jannik Sinner provided a clear benchmark of what was required to go further.

3) Halle shockwave

Two weeks after winning just six games against Sinner at Roland Garros, Bublik delivered a stunning upset on the Halle grass. The Kazakhstani struck 36 winners en route to his first Lexus ATP Head2Head win over a World No. 1, and he simultaneously snapped Sinner’s 66-match winning streak against players outside the Top 20 before going onto win his second trophy at the ATP 500 in Halle.

4) Clay-court credentials confirmed

Back-to-back titles in Gstaad and Kitzbuehel marked Bublik’s first trophies on clay. The success reinforced that his unpredictable game had evolved beyond serve-dominated conditions. With improved patience and point construction, Bublik proved he could thrive in extended rallies as well as short ones, backing up his statement run at Roland Garros earlier in the year.

Click here to read article