By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, October 30, 2025
Photo: Rolex Paris Masters Facebook
Taylor Fritz threw his towel into the towel box at the side of the court in frustration, exhaling in anguish.
Alexander Bublik can be a crazy opponent and today he defeated Fritz 7-6(5), 6-2 to advance to his first Rolex Paris Masters quarter-final.
Bublik scored his fifth Top 5 win of the season and joined No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz as the second man to win a Top 5 on clay, grass and hard in 2025.
Players to win Top-5 victories on grass, clay and hard courts in 2025:
Carlos Alcaraz
Alexander Bublik 🙌#RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/t5TcT2yaaL— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 30, 2025
It’s a match that Fritz can feel has slipped through his fingers. Fritz won four set points at the end of the opening set – all four of which came on the Kazakh’s serve – but Bublik coped with the stress.
Serving at 4-all, Fritz fired an ace to erase a break point, eventually holding for 5-4.
The American, who celebrated his 28th birthday on Tuesday, held a couple of set points in the 10th game. Bublik saved the first when Fritz made a forehand return and swept the second set point with a backhand pass down the line. Bublik, knowing that Fritz is not prone to the net, made his fourth drop shot of the match, staying level after 10 games.
The fourth seed cruised through a love game at 6-5 before winning two more set points in the 12th game. Bublik hit a forehand winner down the straight line and then saved a fourth set point with an ace out wide.
After those missed opportunities, Fritz went up 4-2 and then 5-4 in the first set, but couldn’t close it out. Bublik hit a big serve, followed by an ace for his first point. When Fritz’s forehand down the line missed the mark, Bublik stole the 52nd minute goal.
Emboldened by that set, Bublik took advantage of a wild and wide double fault to earn three break points in the sixth game. Bublik scored a love break for a 4-2 lead on the strength of a forehand winner.
‘For the first time in my career I have a historical moment very close’ 🙏
Alexander Bublik explains his motivation this week on #RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/FI8E61b8px
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 30, 2025
“Maybe the first time in my career I have a big milestone right next to me,” Bublik said. “I think if I just relaxed and said I don’t want to play anymore, I’m tired, I’m injured or whatever, I’d just blame myself after that.
“You have no possible chance to enter the Top 10, to be at least an alternative for (ATP Finals), if you have this chance, you have to use it. You have to give 100 percent because next year I have to start defending my points. It will be more difficult.
“For me, I’m getting closer and closer to the goal that I never thought I could achieve. And then with that you have a little bit more in you if you’re not under pressure.”
On his fourth match point, Bublik hit a forehand return winner to close in one hour and 26 minutes. Bublik, who improved to 36-20 on the season, continues his quest for a fifth title in 2025. Next up for Bublik is sixth seed Alex de Minaur, who was a 6-2, 6-2 winner over 2018 champion Karen Khachanov.
