Alexander Bublik has beaten Andrey Rublev at the Halle Open in Germany. -EPA
Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik delivered a classy performance to defeat Andrey Rublev and win the Halle Open, his first title on grass just over a week before the start of Wimbledon.
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The 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory against third seed Rublev in Germany was the 26-year-old's second tour title after his win in Montpellier in 2022.
"It means the world to me. I've worked a lot to reach this," he said on Sunday.
Bublik, ranked 48th in the world, shot out of the blocks and snatched a break on Rublev's very first service game to move 2-0 up.
With his booming serve proving impenetrable for his opponent Bublik quickly bagged the first set.
Rublev, playing in his second Halle final in three years and looking to add to his Monte-Carlo title this season, got his revenge when he managed to convert his third break point of the match at 3-2.
He held serve to level but Bublik recovered and went a break up thanks to a superb backhand crosscourt winner at the start of the third set.
The Kazakh, who is no stranger to grass with two finals in Newport, did serve a dozen double faults throughout the match but finished it off in style, firing a second serve ace on his first match point to land his second tour title.
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