Alexander Bublik sets record straight on his antics, Hubert Hurkacz refuses to comment

Wednesday’s game between Hubert Hurkacz and Alexander Bublik at the Rotterdam Open has already sparked a lot of debate, and Bolavip spoke to both players after their match, with them having very different approaches to the interview. The encounter was dramatic from start to finish, but the post-match reactions may have generated just as much attention as the tennis itself.

Bublik beat Hurkacz 6-7, 7-6, 7-5, and even though the scoreline alone was intense, it was Bublik’s on-court antics that drew the spotlight. His comments during the match quickly caught attention not only inside the arena but also across social media, where fans reacted strongly to his remarks.

The Kazakhstani repeatedly directed comments toward Hurkacz throughout the match. While tennis fans are accustomed to Bublik’s emotional outbursts, this time they seemed to resonate more widely than usual. After the match, Bolavip spoke to both players about the incidents and their perspectives.

Hurkacz shuts down: No comment

During the match, Bublik said there are 20 players in the Rotterdam draw who “can’t play tennis,” adding that he was frustrated to draw Hurkacz, against whom he had a negative head-to-head record, with the Polish serve specialist leading 6-1 before this encounter. Despite the pointed nature of the comment, Hurkacz did not want to respond. “I don’t have any comments on that,” he said.

Hurkacz disappointed after losing a game

Furthermore, Bublik remarked that Hurkacz’s game consists of “ace, ace, double fault, double fault, shank.” Once again, Hurkacz refused to engage in any back-and-forth regarding the statement, saying: “I don’t want to comment on it.”

A decisive moment in the match came when Hurkacz served for it in the second set and produced three double faults in a single game. It was clearly a disappointing stretch for the Pole, especially given the timing. Reflecting on that moment, Hurkacz said: “Obviously it was disappointing, but I was just trying to focus on the next game. It is always difficult to play against him. He is a great player and it is always a battle.”

Nothing positive to take away from this match

Despite coming away with the victory, Bublik was far from satisfied with his own performance. In fact, he was unusually critical of himself during his conversation with Bolavip. His assessment of the match was blunt from the very beginning.

“Today was a very low-level match. I was lucky to win, I didn’t deserve the win, but he just gave me the match. I didn’t do anything well, he just gave me the win,” Bublik began in his interview.

He continued by explaining how little confidence he had during the contest, even revealing that he mentally prepared for defeat before the turning point. “When I saw the draw I already thought, why should I come here? During the match, I already packed my stuff before he made three double faults, because I was 100% sure I was going to lose, but then he gave me the three double faults. There is nothing positive to take away from this match,” said Bublik, clearly unhappy with his level.

Bublik with a cheeky smile

When asked specifically about the comments he made during the match, the world No. 10 insisted they were not meant as criticism but rather as a description of what he felt was happening on court. He emphasized that he was simply stating what he observed about Hurkacz’s playing style.

“I was not criticizing him, I was just stating the fact that he only made aces, double faults and a shank. I looked like Djokovic because I actually had a rhythm, that is it,” Bublik added, making his stance very clear regarding his earlier remarks.

“Well about the comment on the draw, I just meant what I said about getting him in my draw. He is the only player in the draw I have that bad of a head-to-head against. Except for Daniil, but he was seeded, so I couldn’t play him in the first round. I guess that was what I meant.”

Another topic that has sparked a debate in Rotterdam is the balls. Recently, we spoke to Alex de Minaur and Arthur Fils, both of whom expressed frustration with the balls. However, Bublik does not share those concerns and offered a different perspective: “Compared to what we played in Astana, this is a beautiful ball and a beautiful fast court,” implying that he has definitely seen worse in his career.