Kitzbuhel Open ATP Final Round-up | Reigning champion Alexander Bublik stunned by Quentin Halys who claims first ATP title

Quentin Halys may not have been the name on the tip of everyone's tongues heading into the Kitzbuhel Open, but he will be following a maiden ATP title. He was superior over Alexander Bublik, defeating the 2025 winner 6-4, 7-6(6).

At the age of 29, Halys becomes the latest player to triumph on the ATP Tour in his second ever final. Set to rise in the ATP Rankings to around world number 50, it has been a terrific week out for him, not even dropping a set in Kitzbuhel.

Wins over Laslo Djere, Valentin Vacherot, Mariano Navone and Yannick Hanfmann confirmed his spot in the final where the ominous prospect of Alexander Bublik was awaiting. In the end, the highest ranked player in the tournament could not secure am eighth ATP 250 title.

It is the third consecutive year a player from France has played in the culminating match, but this time the runner-up trend is reversed. Dropping just five points on first serve, Halys conceded no break points and was a force to be reckoned with all contest, hitting a whopping 17 aces compared to a lacklustre six by Bublik. He struck late to secure the first set before saving a set point in a second set tiebreak. Two points later, he was the champion, and a deserving one at that.

While the first set was predominantly a positive one for the server, a closer look at the stats will showcase how dominant Halys was. It took Bublik 16 attempts before winning his first point against the serve.

Four three consecutive holds to love got the Frenchman on his merry way, settling any nerves that may have cropped up against the reigning champion and number one seed. In the fourth game, his first chance came. They were not taken as the Kazakhstani breathed a huge sigh of relief following two break points being saved.

More opportunities would show themselves, and at a pivotal time. The Bublik serve, known to be very strong, was again put under all sorts of pressure. Two set points were mustered up, and Halys needed no second invitation in converting them.

That first set took 34 minutes. The second set would take longer with 12 consecutive holds leading to a eventual and seemingly inevitable tiebreak.

That could have most certainly been different. The Frenchman, who was looking to become the first player from his country since Emmanuel du Plaix in 1932 to win this title, failed to convert a break point in the fourth game before another one was saved by Bublik to make it 4-4.

That tiebreak came along, and was a remarkably tight and tense affair. All square at 5-5, Bublik had the first chance to clinch it. The solitary set point would be his only chance, and that was spurned. Halys won the next three points and struck gold with a first championship point.