Preview Swiss Open Gstaad Final: Alexander Bublik aims for first clay crown against clay-specialist Juan Manuel Cerundolo

Alexander Bublik and Juan Manuel Cerundolo will face off in the Swiss Open Gstaad 2025 final this Sunday, seeking to crown a new tournament champion. The Kazakh arrives as the favorite, showcasing his newfound relationship with clay courts, with seven wins in his last eight matches on the surface.

On the other side, young Argentinian Juan Manuel Cerundolo is showing new momentum in his career, having reached the second ATP final of his career, and will be looking for his second professional title four years after being crowned champion at the Córdoba Open. At TennisUpToDate, we bring you all the details and the current form of the finalists who will seek to become the new champion in Gstaad.

Alexander Bublik returned to action after a disappointing first-round loss at Wimbledon. The Kazakh had been in one of the best moments of his career over the last couple of months, after reaching his first Grand Slam quarterfinals at the recent Roland Garros, eliminating none other than Jack Draper along the way, before falling to Jannik Sinner. He then secured an ATP 500 title – defeating Sinner himself en route, as well as rivals like Karen Khachanov and Daniil Medvedev. However, he couldn't corroborate his great form at the All England Club, exiting in the first round against Jaume Munar, one of the biggest surprises of the early days at SW19.

The talented player of Russian origin had always spoken about his dislike for clay, stating a few years ago that if it were up to him, he wouldn't even play tournaments on this surface. However, he seems to have re-enchanted himself with slow courts and decided to return to a tournament there after his Wimbledon exit. In Gstaad, he has been unstoppable, reaching the 13th final of his career and his first on clay courts (with a 7-5 record so far).

Bublik will have a difficult mission against the clay-specialist Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, who can be a tricky opponent, especially given the high level of confidence he brings. However, Bublik's experience could be key, and his great serving efficiency this week makes him the favorite. The 27-year-old defeated his compatriot Alexander Shevchenko en route, then Francisco Comesaña (7th seed), and Frenchman Arthur Cazaux. He has not conceded a set on his way to the final and has given up only one break point in the entire tournament, something more than remarkable on clay courts.

The Argentinian – younger brother of Francisco Cerúndolo – has been showcasing his abilities on clay courts for several years, despite it not having provided a significant boost on other surfaces. However, the South American specialist is always a player to fear on these surfaces, with 10 Challenger titles – all on clay – and one ATP 250 title at his home Córdoba Open, defeating Spaniard Albert Ramos.

'Juanma' already reached the second round of Roland Garros this year, coming through qualifying and defeating none other than the 32nd seed Alex Michelsen in the first round. Cerúndolo – 23 years old – has already guaranteed his return to the top 100 by reaching the final at the Swiss Open, and if he wins the title, he will achieve his career-high ranking of World No. 75.

Cerúndolo's tournament has been simply remarkable, winning several three-set battles. First, he defeated Jan-Lennard Struff – former top-20 player and Madrid Open finalist – and then eliminated 6th seed David Goffin. However, in the quarterfinals, he delivered a major upset by beating World No. 13 Casper Ruud, marking his first career top-15 victory, and against none other than the two-time French Open finalist, who also won the Madrid Open this year. The Norwegian was the heavy favorite, especially considering he had also been Swiss Open champion in 2021 and 2022.

In the semifinals, he defeated Peruvian surprise Ignacio Buse, who had a great campaign and, at just 21, advanced from qualifying to the final four, making history for his country's tennis. Cerúndolo showed his greater experience in these instances, defeating him in straight sets and securing his return to a final. The Argentinian had a notable 74% first-serve percentage, winning 75% of those points, and saved the only break point he faced in the entire match.