Jannik Sinner Stunned By Bublik In Halle Open; Forced To Exit In Second Round

Last Updated:June 20, 2025, 07:54 IST

On Thursday, ten days before Wimbledon, Bublik secured his second victory in six matches against Sinner.

Jannik Sinner distraught after his early exit at Halle (AFP)

In yet another shocker, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner was upset in his second-round match on grass at Halle by Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik on Thursday, marking the Italian’s first tournament since losing in the French Open final.

The world number one lost 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 to the 45th-ranked Bublik, marking Sinner’s first loss to a player outside the top 20 since the summer of 2023.

Just a few days before his loss to Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final, Sinner had comfortably beaten Bublik in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros, dropping only six games.

On Thursday, ten days before Wimbledon, Bublik secured his second victory in six matches against Sinner.

“We are tennis players and we try to win every match we play, but this one is special," Bublik said. “I had never beaten a world number one before. It is an accomplishment."

Sinner, who had beaten Yannick Hanfmann in straight sets in the first round, dominated the first set against Bublik without facing a break point.

Sinner had three break points at the start of the second set, but Bublik held his serve and then went on the attack, hitting 20 winners in the set and gaining the necessary break in the sixth game.

The 28-year-old broke Sinner’s serve in the third with a powerful forehand.

“I had an amazing forehand to break in the third set and then I kept serving," Bublik said. “On grass, if you lose your serve, it becomes tough, and I don’t lose my serve often. I just kept serving and putting him in uncomfortable positions, and it worked well."

“He is an unbelievable player, and I didn’t think I could beat him," Bublik added. “But I had a few chances and executed them well."

Bublik will play Tomas Machac in the quarter-finals after the Czech beat Hungarian Fabian Marozsan 6-2, 6-3.

Zverev Battles Through Sonego Onslaught

Earlier, world number three Alexander Zverev came from a set down to overcome Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego.

The 28-year-old German won 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) against the 46th-ranked Sonego and will next face another Italian, Flavio Cobolli, for a place in the semi-finals.

Zverev, a finalist in Halle in 2016 and 2017, recorded his fifth victory in as many meetings with Sonego, a year after defeating him at the same stage of the same competition.

Argentina’s 63rd-ranked Tomas Martin Etcheverry also reached the quarter-finals after a three-hour duel against fourth seed Andrey Rublev, winning 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (8/6).

The Argentine saved two match points in the tiebreak of the deciding set to set up a meeting with Russia’s Karen Khachanov.

(with agency inputs)

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

Read More

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News sports Jannik Sinner Stunned By Bublik In Halle Open; Forced To Exit In Second Round