Alexander Bublik earned the biggest win of his career on Sunday, upsetting top seed Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-3 to capture his maiden ATP Tour title at the Open Sud de France.
The 24-year-old from Kazakhstan, who was competing in his fifth ATP Tour final, improved his head-to-head record to 2-0 over Zverev and denied the German the 20th title of his career.
“I had four finals and the fifth final I have won against a great player,” Bublik said. “It is great. All my game [came] together. I was serving well and returned well and kept my nerve. When I had my chances, I used them.”
He had eight aces and won 86% of points on his first serve against the big-serving Zverev, who lost to the world No. 35 Bublik in their previous meeting on the same indoor hard surface in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The imposing Zverev, who won in Montpellier five years ago, is now 19-10 in career finals.