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Alexander Bublik talked about the difficulties he faced playing in the morning after his first-round win against Borna Coric at the Rotterdam Open on Tuesday (February 13).
Bublik's clash against Coric — a repeat of the Montpellier final that Bublik won earlier this month — started at around 11 A.M. local time in Rotterdam. The Kazakh is apparently not used to playing this early in the morning.
After his 6-3, 6-4 first-round win at the ATP 500 event, Bublik was asked what pleased him most about his performance against the Croat. The World No. 23 replied in a light-hearted manner (via Tennis Channel):
"Winning at 11 AM [the most pleasing part of his performance]. I haven't done this in the past 3 years so, I had no expectations when I saw the schedule. I was like 'Okay I won't be playing'. In the morning I was texting my coach around 7:30, last time I woke up 7:30 was before October. Before 10 you won't see me awake."
Bublik also commented, perhaps jokingly, that he wanted to pull out of the tournament after seeing the match timings. He added:
"I was texting my coach 'Maybe we should just pull out.' I mean I go to sleep 7:30. I mean, what is this for? Huh, tell me? So I'm really happy just to get through and I'm really happy with my performance, that I stayed there, I put the balls in the court, even though it was very difficult for me at such an early time, you know 11. Who does work at 11? I don't know. So yeah, I'm just happy to get through."
Alexander Bublik wrapped up the match in an hour and 51 minutes, firing in 13 aces as compared to Coric's three and winning 77% points off his first serve. He was also not broken once and converted two of his eight break point opportunities.
What next for Alexander Bublik at Rotterdam Open?
Alexander Bublik would perhaps be relieved to know that he won't be playing at 11 A.M. local time in his next match.
The Kazakh, who is currently sitting at a career-high rank of 23, will face Milos Raonic in the second round of the Rotterdam Open on Wednesday (February 14). Their match will commence after Emil Ruusuvuori's first-round clash against France's Ugo Humbert, which is scheduled to start at 11 A.M. local time on the same day.
Raonic and Bublik have met just once in a tour-level encounter before — in the Round of 16 at the St. Petersburg Open in 2020. The former World No. 3 comfortably dispatched Bublik that day, winning 6-3, 6-2.
The Kazakh, meanwhile, has had a mixed start to the new season on the ATP tour. A semifinal finish at the 250 event in Adelaide was followed by a shock first-round exit against India's Sumit Nagal at the Australian Open.
Alexander Bublik then went on to win the Open Sud de France in Montpellier this month, beating Borna Coric 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 in the final to win his fourth singles title on the tour. It was also his second title at the tournament, having won it before in 2022.
