Zverev survives Bublik scare to reach Shanghai Masters quarter-finals
Key takeaways
- Alexander Zverev beat Alexander Bublik 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 in the Shanghai Masters fourth round.
- The match lasted just under three hours and was decided by two tiebreaks.
- Zverev now faces Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals in Shanghai.
Alexander Zverev is through to the Shanghai Masters quarter-finals. The world number one beat Alexander Bublik in three sets. The final score was 7-6, 4-6, 7-6.
The match lasted just under three hours. It was a fourth-round tie at the Rolex Shanghai Masters. Zverev won both tiebreaks.
A tiebreak is a short game that decides a set when the score reaches 6-6.
Bublik pushed him all the way. The Kazakh star had four set points in the first set. A set point is a chance to win the set.
Bublik could not take any of them. That miss proved costly.
Here is how the match unfolded.
What happened
The first set was tight from the start. Both men held serve with ease. Bublik served with power and variety.
Zverev stayed calm from the baseline. The baseline is the back line of the court.
Bublik earned four set points in the first set. He had the set in his hands. But Zverev fought back each time.
The set went to a tiebreak. Zverev won it 7-6. Flashscore reports that Bublik had his serve broken only once in the whole match. That shows how close the contest was.
The second set went Bublik's way. He kept up the pressure. He broke Zverev's serve and took the set 6-4. The match was now level at one set each.
The crowd had a real contest on its hands.
The third set was just as tight. Neither man gave much away. Both held serve again and again.
The set went to another tiebreak. Zverev held his nerve. He won the tiebreak and the match.
The final score in the third set was 7-6.
Zverev won two tiebreaks on the day. That was the key difference. Bublik played superb tennis for long spells.
But Zverev was stronger in the biggest moments. That is what top players do. They win the points that matter most.
This was Zverev's first match since being confirmed as the year-end world number one. Flashscore notes that fact in its live coverage. The German played like a man who wanted to prove the ranking was right.
The head-to-head record made the win even sweeter. Bublik had won three of their four past meetings. Zverev trailed 1-3 in that count before this match.
He has now cut the gap to 2-3.
Both men had tough third-round matches too. Zverev beat Quentin Halys 6-4, 6-7, 6-3. Bublik beat Brandon Nakashima 6-7, 6-3, 7-6. Both men came through three-set tests. Neither man was fresh for this clash.
Why it matters
The win keeps Zverev's Shanghai title bid alive. The Shanghai Masters is an ATP Masters 1000 event. Masters 1000 events are the biggest tournaments below the four Grand Slams.
The Grand Slams are the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open.
Zverev is the top seed in Shanghai. The top seed is the highest-ranked player in the draw. Bublik was seeded 19th.
On paper, Zverev was the favourite. But Bublik is a dangerous player on his day.
Bublik is known for his bold style. He serves big. He tries drop shots.
A drop shot is a soft shot that lands just over the net. He can beat anyone when his game clicks. He showed that again on Tuesday.
The match also showed Zverev's mental strength. He saved four set points in the first set. He then won two tiebreaks under pressure.
Tiebreaks test a player's nerve. Zverev passed that test twice in one match.
For Bublik, the loss is a missed chance. He was close to a big win. He had his serve broken only once.
He had four set points in the opener. If he had taken one of them, the match could have gone another way. Flashscore makes that point in its live report.
The result also shapes the top half of the draw. Zverev now faces Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals. De Minaur beat Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-4 in his fourth-round match.
Flashscore reports that De Minaur won in under an hour and a half.
De Minaur is a tough opponent for Zverev. He beat Zverev at the Laver Cup last month. The Laver Cup is a team event between Europe and the rest of the world.
Zverev will want revenge for that loss. Revenge means winning the next meeting.
The other fourth-round results also shook up the draw. Arthur Gea beat Jakub Mensik in straight sets. Gea won 7-6, 6-4. Gea had already beaten Ben Shelton in the prior round.
Shelton was the third seed. Gea is now one of the stories of the tournament.
Zverev's win also matters for his season. He has already locked up the year-end world number one spot. That means he will finish the year as the top-ranked player.
But he still wants titles. A Shanghai crown would add to his big year.
For tennis fans, the match was a treat. It had power, touch, and drama. It had two tiebreaks and a near three-hour run time.
It showed why the Shanghai Masters draws big crowds each year.
Readers who follow Zverev can catch up on his week. He was confirmed as year-end world number one before this match. He also practised with Cruz Hewitt earlier in the week.
And Mensik's loss to Gea opened up Zverev's side of the draw.
What happens next
Zverev now plays De Minaur in the quarter-finals. The Australian is in strong form. He made light work of Khachanov in the last round.
He moves well and fights for every point.
Zverev will need his best serve in that match. He will also need to stay calm in tiebreaks. De Minaur rarely gives away free points.
The match could be long and physical.
The winner of that tie moves into the semi-finals. The semi-finals are the last four stage. From there, the final is one win away.
Zverev will want to go all the way in Shanghai.
Bublik leaves Shanghai with his head held high. He pushed the world number one to the limit. He showed his game can trouble anyone.
He will now turn to the next events on the tour. His ranking should stay strong after this run.
The rest of the draw keeps moving too. The fourth round still has more ties to finish. The quarter-finals will then take shape.
Fans can follow the scores on the ATP site and live-score apps.
For Zverev, the goal is clear. He wants the Shanghai title. He has the ranking.
He has the form. He now needs three more wins. The first of those comes against De Minaur.
Tennis fans can also look ahead to the Wuhan event on the women's tour. The WTA 1000 event in Wuhan runs at the same time. Flashscore reports upsets there too.
Maria Sakkari beat Marta Kostyuk in three sets. Daria Snigur beat Elise Mertens. Jelena Ostapenko beat Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-1.
The tennis season now moves toward its end. The Shanghai Masters is one of the last big stops. Zverev will want to end it with a trophy.
Bublik showed him how hard that will be.
Fans who want more tennis can read our other explainers. De Minaur's fitness work has powered his late-season run. The Shanghai week still has plenty of big matches to come.
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