Alexander Bublik makes history with Open Sud de France triumph, first ATP player to win a singles title after dropping first set in every match

Monday, 05 February 2024 at 16:00

Alexander Bublik sealed the 2024 Open Sud de France title in Montpellier at the expense of Borna Coric, and made history in the process by becoming the only player to win an ATP singles title after dropping the first set in every match.

Bublik who has been in superb form for a long time after being known mainly as an entertainer solely has claimed a fourth ATP title and his second in Montpellier after winning it in 2022. He entered the tournament as second seed and kicked off his campaign against Denis Shapovalov in the second round.

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After losing the first set to the Canadian, he returned to win it 1-6, 7-6, 6-3. In the Quarter-Finals, he pulled another rabbit out of the hat as he saw off new Kazakh, Alexander Shevchenko coming from a set down to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. He then faced Felix Auger-Aliassime who was 50-0 when he won the first set in his last 50 matches on hardcourts. Well call that 50-1 as Bublik turned it around to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Then it was the turn of Borna Coric in the final and shock horror, he won it after surrendering the first set 5-7, 6-2, 6-3. Never one to leave the crowd short changed, he certainly didn't when it came to how long he was on court in the past week. But he ended up the champion with a new record to boot.

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TennisUpToDate

@TennisUpToDate2

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#Bublik just needs that tiny bit more time to vent than most of the others 🤣 #OSDF24 . But this was back at the start of 2023, he's in a much better place now these days.

Tennis Updates

@TennisUpdates26

Bublik has had an interesting time of it in Montpellier the last 3 years. 2022 & 2024: Champion 2023: pic.x.com/HtigVFkWzR

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5:50 PM · Feb 4, 2024

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