Alexander Bublik is a fairly divisive player, though he is capable of greatness. At times, he gets too cute and tries tricky shots, and it isn't always clear whether he is trying to entertain or just bored. Against Taylor Fritz in the semifinals of the Boss Open, though, Bublik blew up at himself.
After leading the first set 4-2, the Kazakhstani lost the next four games, which led him to take his frustration out on his racket. He was warned by the umpire.
It took a bit for Bublik to cool down to begin the second set, too, but after a love hold by Fritz, the third-seeded Bublik began serving with brilliance again. The second-seeded Fritz was doing the same, however. The set appeared likely headed for a tie-break, with neither player dropping many points on serve.
Taylor Fritz overcomes Alexander Bublike to reach the 2026 final of the Boss Open
Fritz has not had his best of years so far in 2026. He hadn't won a match in two straight tournaments and was only 12-10 on the season entering Stuttgart. His game does translate well to grass, as does Bublik's, as each has a huge serve and both can volley well.
Maybe the American needed to get to the grass courts to correct his game. He was the champion at the Boss Open in 2025, after all. In top form, both he and Bublik could make a deep run at Wimbledon, which begins at the end of June. Both needed to make it through Stuttgart first, however.
The second set somewhat followed the first set, though. Instead of reaching the tie-break, and after Fritz had held easily, he pushed Alexander Bublik on his own serve, and the American got the break. The match only lasted a little over an hour in a classic of modern grass-court tennis.
Next for Taylor Fritz is the final, where he will face either fellow American Ben Shelton or rising Czech star Jiri Lehecka. Shelton has had to finish one match, as the match was suspended due to darkness, in each of the past two days to play his next full match to reach the semifinals. One might wonder if he will tire against Lehecka.
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