“I Never Expected to Defeat Him”: Jannik Sinner Stunned by Shocking Loss After 637 Days

Jannik Sinner’s remarkable 49-match winning run against opponents other than Carlos Alcaraz was halted in Halle when he faced Alexander Bublik.

With a season record of 19-2, Sinner had easily overcome everyone except for the Spaniard, who had outperformed him at Roland Garros over the past two years.

The world No.1 hadn’t suffered a defeat against anyone ranked outside the top 20 in 673 days, but Bublik, currently ranked No. 45, fought back from a set down to secure the match with a scoreline of 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Bublik’s only prior victory over Sinner was also in Halle, two years earlier.

“Honestly, I’m not sure how it happened. I just stayed focused. I know my capabilities, and I can return a few tricky shots,” Bublik remarked on breaking Sinner’s impressive streak.

“The grass surface is quite quick. He provided me an opportunity, and I executed a fantastic forehand to break him in the deciding set.”

“After that, I simply continued serving. It’s particularly tough on grass if you drop your serve; I’m not typically someone who does that very often.

“I just kept serving and placing him in difficult situations. It paid off well.”

To everyone’s surprise, Bublik stepped up in the second set, showcasing his powerful serve and rapid groundstrokes to gain the upper hand.

With 35 winners and 15 aces under his belt, Bublik managed to break Sinner in both the second and third sets, employing a swift counter to Sinner’s drive volley to seize a 4-3 advantage in the final set.

“I aimed to deliver when it counted. I wanted to reclaim what I could. I mean, he’s an incredible athlete. I never thought I could win against him.

“If I had a few opportunities and executed them effectively while serving, my chances improved compared to Roland Garros. I held my ground.”

“I aimed to return everything I could and served aces so the ball wouldn’t come back.

“He granted me a chance. I had a remarkable forehand to break in the third set, and I just kept my serves consistent.”

Bublik has claimed victory in four of his last seven encounters against players ranked in the top five.

However, he had entered the match against world No.1s with a record of 0-3.

“This win is truly special,” he stated. “It’s my first time beating a world No.1, and I’m definitely celebrating it.”

Bublik next faces Tomas Machac in the quarter-finals as he aims for a second title in Halle, having previously won the tournament in 2023.