French Open 2025: Alexander Bublik says victory over Jack Draper is 'best moment of my life' as experts hail 'magnificent' quality
Published 02/06/2025 at 20:40 GMT+1
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Alexander Bublik secured his spot in the French Open quarter-finals with an entertaining victory over British No. 1 Jack Draper on Monday, and in an emotional on-court interview with his name reverberating around Court Suzanne-Lenglen, declared it was the "best moment of my life". The unseeded world No. 62 will face either Jannik Sinner of Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals.
‘Best moment of my life’ - Bublik revels in win over Draper at French Open
Video credit: TNT Sports
With tears in his eyes and his name ringing around the joyous Court Suzanne-Lenglen crowd, Alexander Bublik said his enthralling French Open fourth-round victory over Jack Draper was the "best moment of my life".
The world No. 62 entered the match an overwhelming underdog, given Draper's strong clay-court season, and fell a set behind to the British No. 1 - a competitive opener only decided by a late break.
However, the unseeded 27-year-old went on to recover, despite being broken immediately in the second set to dominate his way to a 2-1 lead.
Bublik, riding the crest of a wave of momentum, broke Draper just once in the fourth set, ultimately enough to seal a stunning victory, to the delight of the Paris crowd.
"You know, sometimes in life there is only one chance, I had a feeling that was mine," Bublik said, visibly emotional after basking in the adulation of the vocal spectators.
"I couldn't let it slip, so standing here, it's the best moment of my life. Period.
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Highlights: Bublik battles back to beat Draper to reach quarter-finals
Video credit: TNT Sports
"I'm standing here like I won the thing, but at the end, what can I say. It's amazing.
"I can't cry here, come on let me be in peace. I still have a match to go, I'm a professional tennis player, I have to get ready."
TNT Sports expert Mark Petchey was impressed by the variety Bublik offered on the clay surface.
Knowing Draper's strengths emerge from baseline battles, Bublik's tendency to push the Brit deep before showcasing a deft touch with perfectly-executed drop-shots consistently got the better of the world No. 5 - evident from the 12 winners which came from such scenarios.
"Amazing performance," Petchey said. "He looked like he'd been about 10 rounds with Mike Tyson there. That's how it feels to go against Jack.
"When you bring a very versatile game to a clay court with a serve like that, you can do untold damage.
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"Credit to him, he has played some beautiful tennis out there. That's not about Jack not playing well, that is about Bublik being the problem he can be on the tennis court."
Fellow TNT Sports expert Tim Henman, meanwhile, credited Bublik's "resilience" after falling a set and a break behind, and felt the standard of the match was particularly high.
"Where Bublik deserves extra credit is the way he went about it," Henman said. "Jack was the one that got off to a really solid start, they were holding serve comfortably.
"Jack got that break at the end of the first set, wins it 7-5 and then gets the early break in the second. You think that is where Jack had the opportunity.
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Watch as on-fire Bublik wins third set in emphatic fashion against despondent Draper
Video credit: TNT Sports
"But Bublik showed his resilience, Mark [Petchey] mentioned his skill-set, unbelievable ball-striking, his first serve, second serve, going for absolutely everything.
"I went court-side for a set and a half, and the quality of play was magnificent. That's where Bublik deserves enormous credit."
Such was the frequency and quality of Bublik's drop shots that Petchey directed more praise at the quarter-finalist. He said that Draper should aspire to incorporate a similar level of variety in his strokes.
"That guy, he wasn't even disturbing the top of my souffle the way those things were bouncing," Petchey added. "Bublik's touch from behind the baseline was extraordinary.
"From Jack's point of view, that's going to feel like a bit of a bail-out shot, the way he's been playing at the moment, because he's been dominating opponents with his forehand so well.
"Going to a drop shot from that far behind the baseline isn't his natural DNA out there but it is for Bublik, and credit to him. Maybe Jack is going to walk off that court thinking he is going to have to explore that avenue."
Victory over Draper was the second top-10 scalp Bublik has claimed en route to the final eight, having defeated Alex de Minaur over five sets in the second round.
He will face either Jannik Sinner or Andrey Rublev for a place in the semi-finals.
Stream the 2025 French Open live and on-demand on TNT Sports and discovery+
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