Bublik advances to semifinals in Hong Kong

Photo: Hkmenstennisopen.com

Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik (World No. 11), rushing to the top 10, secured his second victory in 2026. In the quarterfinals of the ATP 250 Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open 2026, Kazakhstan’s top-ranked player defeated  Shang Juncheng (No. 406) 6-1, 7-6 (7-2).

The first set lasted 28 minutes, 17 of which Bublik spent on the first five games. Trailing 0-5, Shang was at risk of a bagel set.

The sixth game lasted longer than all the previous ones combined. In the deuce exchanges alone, the players played 13 points. No bagel set for the Kazakhstani player — the Chinese player got on the board; however, Bublik closed out the set on his serve, 6-1.

The second set was sturdier. Bublik continued to dominate but the opponent fought to hold his serve, managing to do so six times.

As a result, Bublik had to fight for the tiebreak at 5-6. Moreover, the Kazakhstani player was close to losing the set. In the tiebreak, Bublik took a 3-0 and 5-2 lead, and converted his first match point to secure the win, 6-1, 7-6 (7-2).

The second set lasted twice as long as the first. Over 1 hour and 25 minutes, Bublik scored 74 points to 52, and also dominated in aces, 15 to 3.

In the semifinals, 28-year-old Bublik will face 32-year-old American Marcos Giron (64), a tricky opponent for the Kazakhstani player, with their head-to-head standing at 1-3.

In the other semifinal, first-seeded Italian Lorenzo Musetti (7) will face Russian Andrey Rublev (16).

The Hong Kong Tennis Open, previously known as the Salem Open, was held on hard courts from 1973 to 2002. After a hiatus of more than 20 years, the tournament resumed in January 2024.