Alexander Bublik destroys racket after blowing set points before calling medical timeout after injuring himself in fit of rage
ATP
Alexander Bublik found himself in a spot of bother against Brandon Nakashima in the third round of the Shanghai Masters. After losing the opening set tiebreak amid missed set points, he opted to self-combust, destroying his racket while injuring himself in the process.
Bublik is competing in his first Masters 1000 event since the Rome Open. Just one quarter-final has been reached at this level after a drop-off from his brilliant 2025 season. At the start of the year, he rose into the top 10 in the world for the very first time. Now, he is battling hard to get back into the top 20.
Frustrations brew over in the first set of the contest against Nakashima. In contrast, the American was playing the best tennis of his career. A Canadian Open final run was followed by a Cincinnati Open semi-final with him also competing alongside Bublik at the Laver Cup for the first time, even playing alongside each other in the doubles.
Today, they were enemies, and it would be a contest of high attrition. 12 holds of serve led to a highly anticipated tiebreak, with both players level pegging.
Headloss by Bublik causes injury
Bublik created the first set points after taking a 6-4 lead, but he failed to convert both of them. Nakashima got back into the contest before missing a set point. He created another one soon after and was able to get the first set on the board.
The Kazakh was furious. He wrecked his racket, smacking it on the floor multiple times before storming to his chair in a fit of rage, kicking it in the process before smashing his fist on the lid of the cooler next to him.
POV: Your opponent is Alexander Bublik and you just have to wait for the plot twist 💀😭🎾 #ShanghaiMasters #Bublik #Tennis #Nakashima https://t.co/CTgjnLpGzP
— Footah's Thought's (@kennyfootah) October 11, 2026
While the heavily damaged racket lay haplessly on the floor, Bublik assessed his hand and realised that there was some damage on him as well. He called a medical timeout to get it assessed but was soon back on the court.
Lucas MichaelTennis Journalist
Lucas Michael is a tennis journalist based in Cambridge, UK, specializing in comprehensive coverage of the ATP and WTA tours. For the past 1.5 years, he has been a core contributor to TennisUpToDate, where he has authored more than 3,000 data-driven match reports, deep-dive analysis pieces, and engaging liveblogs.
Lucas pairs real-time statistical analysis with on-the-ground reporting, frequently traveling to tournaments to cover the action firsthand from the press box and player press conferences. This blend of advanced metrics and direct access allows him to provide sharp context regarding player form, tactical trends, and breaking tour developments.
He holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism. Grounded in core journalistic ethics, Lucas places a strict emphasis on meticulous sourcing, editorial accuracy, and a commitment to updating live content swiftly as verified information emerges.
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