Alexander Bublik sees off Medvedev to claim fifth ATP title in Halle

Halle Westfalen, Germany: Kazakh Alexander Bublik claimed his fifth ATP title on Saturday achieving his first win in seven meetings with Russian Daniil Medvedev in the Wimbledon warm-up tournament in Halle.

Bublik, ranked 45, had claimed the scalp of world No 1 Jannik Sinner in the second round.

And the 28-year-old maintained his streak with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), victory in one hour and 22 minutes in his first clash on grass with third seed Medvedev just one week before the start of Wimbledon.

Thanks to this title, his second in Halle after 2023, Bublik will move to 30th place in Monday’s ATP rankings, while Medvedev, who was playing in his first final in 15 months, will move to number nine.

A former world No 1 in 2022, Medvedev lost his sixth consecutive final, his 20th and last title dating back to the Masters 1000 on clay in Rome in May 2023.

Bublik’s titles also came in Montpellier in 2022 and 2024 and Antwerp and Halle in 2023.