Alexander Bublik Breakthrough: From No. 80 to Top 10 in less than a year | ATP Tour
Alexander Bublik
Bublik Breakout: From 80th to Top 10 in less than a year
The 28-year-old is the first Kazakhstani to enter the top ten
January 13, 2026
ATP Tour/HKCTA
Alexander Bublik has risen to a career-high No. 10 in the PIF ATP Rankings following his victory in Hong Kong.
Jerome Coombe
Alexander Bublik achieved one of tennis’s greatest honors in just the first week of the 2026 season: breaking into the top ten of the PIF ATP Ranking.
The 28-year-old sealed his fate by winning the Bank of China Hong Kong Open, defeating Lorenzo Musetti in the final. Bublik’s rise has been both explosive and entertaining, underscoring why he has become one of the most compelling figures on the ATP Tour.
Last April he was ranked No. 80, but thanks to a huge shift in motivation and belief, he captured four ATP Tour titles throughout the season and ended 2025 with a career-high No. 11 and becoming the first substitute at the Nitto ATP Finals.
“The only goal this season was to enter the top ten, and in the first week I won the championship and entered the top ten,” said Bublik, the first Kazakh to enter the top ten. “If you had told me last April, I would never have believed you.”
Five things to know about the rise of BUBLIK:
1) Commit in advance, delay departure
Bublik showed his potential by winning his first ATP Tour title in 2022 and went on to win at least one trophy in each of the next two seasons. Yet the start of 2025 proved sobering, as by February he had dropped out of the world’s top 50 for the first time in two years. This drop became fuel, not a setback.
2) The turning point of Roland Garros
Bublik enters the 2025 clay-court majors ranked No. 62 in the world, playing the most comprehensive tennis performance of his career and reaching the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time. His five-set win over Alex De Minaur and an authoritative win over Jack Draper reshaped perceptions of his durability. Even a one-sided loss to Jannik Sinner provided a clear benchmark for further progress.
3) Harley Blaster
Two weeks after winning just six games against Sinner at Roland Garros, Bublik pulled off a stunning upset on the court in Halle. The Kazakh hit 36 winners against the world number one at the Lexus ATP while ending Sinner’s 66-match winning streak against players outside the top 20, before winning his second trophy at the ATP 500 in Halle.
4) Confirmation of clay court qualifications
Back-to-back titles in Gstaad and Kitzbühel marked Bublik’s first trophy on clay. The success confirmed that his unpredictable game has transcended serve-dominated situations. With better patience and score-building, Bublik proved he can thrive in both long rallies and short rallies, backing up his statement at Roland Garros earlier this year.
5) How far can he go now?
The question surrounding Bublik now is how high he can soar. With a top-10 breakout and a more comprehensive display of skills, the 28-year-old is ready to remain a regular at major events.
