The art of using your first serve as a second serve is being made popular on the ATP Tour right. Daniil Medvedev used it on plenty of occasions during his incredible hard-court summer run, most notably–and with great success–against Novak Djokovic in the Cincinnati Masters semifinals. Nick Kyrgios has employed it various times throughout his career.
But no one does it more often than Alexander Bublik.
Bublik did typical Bublik things against Grigor Dimitrov in the Chengdu Open quarterfinals on Friday afternoon, blasting big serve after big serve at the most crucial of moments to prevail 5-7, 7-6(6), 7-6(3). The world No. 71 saved two match points in the second-set tiebreaker before eventually surviving the thriller after two hours and 32 minutes.
Down his first match point, Bublik struck a 137 MPH second serve and followed it up with a winning volley. He also served-and-volleyed on match point No. 2, fighting it off with a jumping overhead.
“It’s been a good week, and beating Grigor is a great achievement for me,” the 22-year-old Kazakh assured. “The second-set tiebreak was tough. I never thought about being match points down, but just playing my own game and serving well.”
Bublik has now fired 73 aces through three rounds–15 against Dimitrov. The price that comes with it is 28 double-faults–15 against Dimitrov. This is the same player who recorded a ridiculous 48 aces and 26 double-faults throughout a five-set U.S. Open win over Thomas Fabbiano.
Next up for Bublik on semifinal Saturday is lucky loser Lloyd Harris, who upset Joao Sousa 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4.
“It feels unbelievable right now,” said Harris, who lost to Bradley Klahn in qualifying. “I have been playing extremely well since getting into the main draw and I am really finding my tennis. I think the courts are good for the big servers, especially when the sun is out.”
[polldaddy poll=10418934]
good stuff, Bublik
Just for the record, I picked Bublik to win!!!