Casualties in main field could open door for Alexander Bublik to make ATP Finals debut and earn over £300k

Alexander Bublik has been rewarded after enjoying a fantastic campaign. He has travelled to Turin as an alternative for the ongoing ATP Finals. His debut in the event may come sooner than expected with injury concerns in the field. Most notably Felix Auger-Aliassime after his defeat to Jannik Sinner.

The Kazakh finished in the Race to Turin in 10th. Most years this would make him second-alternative but he was bumped up a slot after seven-time champion Novak Djokovic decided to pull out of the event due to an elbow problem plaguing his triumph in the Hellenic Championship. This opened the door for the runner-up in Athens Lorenzo Musetti to make his debut, with Bublik's possibly just around the corner.

It is not a bad gig to be an alternate. Just for turning up and staying on campus, Bublik has earned £118k. This unique chance at earning a whole heap of cash would be continued if he is called up to feature. The same goes for second-alternative, Casper Ruud, with the pair eager to get out on the court to compete. If this does happen, they would receive £126k for competing in one match, £187k for two and another £301k if they come out on top in their Round-Robin tie.

It is a remarkable opportunity for Bublik. While he was unable to squeeze inside the top eight, his chance at competing may be just around the corner depending on injuries. Something similar happened in the WTA Finals. Ahead of her final group match, Madison Keys was forced to withdraw due to illness. First-alternative, Mirra Andreeva, was playing in the doubles and was not deemed fit enough to compete. This kindly opened the door for Ekaterina Alexandrova to face the eventual champion, Elena Rybakina.

Events such as this are not rare. The season is very long, and a lot of tennis is crammed into a small space of time ahead of the ATP Finals. Injuries and fatigue are bound to be lurking around the star players. This was highlighted by Auger-Aliassime who called the physio onto the court enroute to a straight set defeat to the world number two and reigning champion Sinner. He received a medical timeout for a leg which he struggled to push off but brushed off any concern after the match about it.

Along with the Canadian, Musetti may be someone to keep an eye on. The Italian's run to the final in Athens has come to a cost of fitness and preparation ahead of the event, preventing him from being at his physical best. It showed against Taylor Fritz, with a tired looking Musetti losing his first match in the event to the American.

Whatever happens to the eight finalists, Bublik is a solid alternative after what has been a standout year for the 28-year-old. Aside from a French Open quarter-final, the Grand Slams have been slightly underwhelming. It is away from the big stage where he has been ripping it up. Aside from Carlos Alcaraz and Sinner, no one has won more titles than Bublik in 2025.

He opened his account for the year at the Halle Open. A statement victory against Sinner early on was culminated by defeating Daniil Medvedev in straight sets to lift the title for a second time. After losing out in the first round of Wimbledon, he traversed back to clay where he picked up a brace of ATP 250 titles in the Swiss Open and Kitzbuhel Open. His fourth and final one came in Hangzhou Open in September. He completed the year with a stunning run to the Paris Masters semi-final, losing out to Auger-Aliassime. These points bumped him up to where he is now, as Bublik reaps the rewards in Turin.