Open Sud de France: Alexander Bublik beats Borna Coric in the final and wins the title a second time in Montpellier

Nouvelle victoire pour Bublik (à droite). Midi Libre – Alexandre Dimou

Le Kazakh Alexander Bublik a remporté l'Open Sud de France 2024 après sa victoire en trois sets contre le Croate Borna Coric 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 lors de la finale. Son deuxième titre a Montpellier après 2022. 

This is the fourth title on the circuit for the 26-year-old, who had already won in Montpellier in 2022. He succeeds the winners of the Montpellier tournament to the Italian Jannik Sinner, recent winner of the Australian Open. Bublik, 26, is expected to reach 23rd place in the world on Monday, the best ranking of his career.

The No.2 seed led 4-1 in the first set before being caught. He was then two points from the set at 5-4 for him on Coric's serve but it was his opponent who broke him in the next game.

19 aces Sunday

In the second set, the Kazakh started to attract Coric to the net with numerous drop shots and managed the break, to once again lead four games to one. This time, he managed to maintain his lead then once again take the service of the former world No.12 to equalize at one set all.

Bublik, impressive on serve with 19 aces in total, broke a visibly annoyed Coric, who seemed to be losing his tennis, from the outset in the third set. The Kazakh, however, had to erase two break points at 3-1, then one at 4-2, before being able to lift the trophy.

"I have no words, I was almost eliminated in the first round (against Shapovalov) and here I am with the title", explained the who lost each of the first sets in his four matches this week.