Bublik’s fearless second serve conquers Hangzhou tension

Alexander Bublik arrived in Hangzhou last month with his signature flair, turning the Lynk & Co Hangzhou Open into a showcase of calculated chaos that propelled him to victory and a coveted serving honor.

Tiebreak ace defies missed first serve

In the final against Valentin Royer, Bublik faced a pivotal moment at 6-4 in the first-set tiebreak, where a missed first serve could have cracked his focus under the stadium’s humming lights. Instead, he unleashed a blistering 218 km/h second-serve ace down the T, the ball zipping past Royer’s desperate stretch and drawing a roar from the crowd that echoed his unyielding resolve. This strike not only sealed the set but highlighted his ability to blend unpredictability with precision on the event’s brisk hard courts.

The Kazakhstani’s run through the ATP 250 draw revealed a serve honed for the surface’s pace, where crosscourt deliveries pulled returns wide before inside-out forehands pinned opponents deep. He varied his patterns with one–two combinations, slipping in underspin slices to disrupt Royer‘s steady baseline returns and force errors in extended rallies. Fans later voted this moment the Stella Artois ATP Perfect Serve for September, recognizing how it captured his tactical adaptability amid a season of relentless matches.

Serving mastery sustains flawless tournament hold

Bublik‘s dominance extended beyond that ace; he fired 70 aces and held all 44 service games, a statistic that underscores his command on courts where the ball’s true bounce rewarded aggressive placement. Against Zhang Zhizhen in the quarters, he mixed flat bombs with kick serves that climbed sharply, creating awkward bounces to neutralize the home crowd’s favorite and advance with momentum. Stella Artois, the ATP Tour‘s Gold Partner and Official Beer through 2028, spotlights these flashes, giving supporters a say in celebrating the line’s magical instants.

The pressure of chasing a fourth title tested his endurance, yet he adapted by prioritizing recovery between points, varying toss heights to counter improving returns from foes like Royer. This flawless service run transformed potential fatigue into fuel, turning the Hangzhou hard courts into a stage for his evolving arsenal. As the No. 16 in the PIF ATP Rankings, his triumph here edges him toward year-end goals, setting a template of bold adjustments for the indoor swing ahead.

Award fuels unpredictable path forward

Claiming the September award over fellow Hangzhou contenders, Bublik’s second-serve winner stood out for its psychological punch, a reminder of how his whimsy keeps opponents off-balance in high-stakes exchanges. The victory marked his fourth ATP Tour title of 2025, blending mental fortitude with surface-specific tweaks that amplified his one–two punches and down-the-line finishes. With autumn’s battles looming, this Hangzhou high promises more surprises, where his serve’s variability could crack the top 15 and redefine his season’s narrative.