Bublik, one in a million: "In my opinion, I'm super normal"

Óscar Belloch | 31 May 2025 | 21.51

Alexander Bublik at Roland Garros 2025. Photo: Getty

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Alexander Bublik was not in practically anyone's predictions to reach the second week of Roland Garros 2025, but there he is. The Kazakh player defeated James Duckworth 3-0 in the first round. Not satisfied with that, he pulled off a tremendous comeback against top 10 player Alex De Miñaur (2-6 2-6 6-4 6-3 6-2). The emotional aftermath of such an achievement for a player not accustomed to this kind of feat was not an excuse, and he only dropped eight games against newcomer Henrique Rocha (7-5 6-1 6-2). Bublik will now face Jack Draper, feeling ready to compete for everything in a tournament where he had never gone beyond the second round.

It is not common to see specialists from other surfaces excel on courts that are not their favorites, especially in profiles like Alexander Bublik's, a racket genius who enjoys entertaining on the court, although he has occasionally mentioned not liking tennis. The Kazakh is motivated by fans being amazed by his antics on the court and against the best players; he aims to show that he is competitive at their level. This has been the case in Roland Garros 2025, and after the victory over Rocha, he attended a press conference.

- Changes in his mentality

"After Wimbledon 2024, I reached the top 17, and if I could go back now, I would take a few weeks off. When I got there, I started making too many sacrifices and putting too much pressure on myself. Dropping out of the top 50 was not due to a bad attitude or anything like that; it was the opposite because I was burning out waiting for big results that never came. So, I went to Indian Wells and the Phoenix Challenger and had a good time partying in Las Vegas."

- Next opponent: Jack Draper

"Jack is amazing. I watched him play in the first round and thought: 'Are you preparing for the UFC?' I mean, he was number 40 last year and now he is top 5 and it doesn't seem like he will stop there. I don't know what I need to do to beat Draper; I just want to have fun and show what I am capable of. I played against him in the 2018 Queen's qualifying and he was just a kid, hitting the ball that hard."

- Do you consider yourself different from other tennis players?

"They make me feel different. I don't know if they are the different ones, or if it's me because for me, my perspectives are very normal. You might see me having fun the night before a match, I won't go crazy, but I am a social person. I skip training if I don't feel comfortable, and I think that's very normal. In my opinion, I am super normal, and the tennis players make me feel different. If I want to sleep, I will sleep. Some make $100 million and win 25 titles and want more; for me, that's not normal."

- What about on the court?

"I can't play five and a half hours against Draper, so I have to work on my strengths because I can't physically endure it. Literally, I could die on the court. I cannot withstand 45 degrees of Australian sun, and I am concerned about my health on the court. Nevertheless, I find solutions to beat the best, and I believe I have a great arsenal of resources. Sometimes I have to resort to crazy shots, but that's the only option I have."

- Difference between the best players and those outside the top 100

"Simply put, the level is slower. However, sometimes you see players who won't make it to the top, you tell them, and they don't care. You need a set of skills, and without them, it's impossible to make it. Still, at 9:00 in the morning, they are already in the gym because they want to give their best selves."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Bublik, uno entre un millón: "En mi opinión, soy súper normal"