Bublik reaches record 13th tour-level final and first on clay as Cerundolo stuns field to book title showdown
Gstaad, Switzerland — July 19: Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik stormed into the final of the Swiss Open Gstaad on Saturday, notching a new career milestone by reaching his 13th tour-level final and his first ever on clay courts.
The second seed delivered a commanding 6-1, 7-5 victory over France’s Arthur Cazaux in just 73 minutes, continuing his flawless set record at the ATP 250 event.
“I've surprisingly won every match in two sets, but honestly, I wasn’t too confident before the tournament,” Bublik joked after the match. “Tennis is tennis—we play in the rain, the sun, the wind—we just have to adapt. Clay is one of those challenges.”
The 28-year-old was particularly dominant behind his serve, firing 12 aces and winning 87% of first-serve points (33/38), according to Infosys ATP Stats. His clean and aggressive shot-making also saw him hit 35 winners during the semifinal clash.
Saturday’s win also sees Bublik rise four spots to No. 30 in the ATP Live Rankings, ensuring his return to the ATP Top 30 for the first time since 2023.
This strong clay-court run follows an impressive quarterfinal appearance at Roland Garros and his recent title win in Halle, further cementing Bublik's status as a serious title contender regardless of surface.
Cerundolo Continues Dream Run
In Sunday’s final, Bublik will face Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo, who has quietly built a headline-making run of his own. Cerundolo defeated Peruvian qualifier Ignacio Buse 6-3, 6-3 in challenging, windy conditions to reach his second career ATP Tour final.
“I think the key was adapting to the wind,” said the 22-year-old Argentine, who won his only previous tour-level final in Córdoba back in 2021. “Against the wind, I varied my serve. When I had the wind behind me, I hit with more topspin. That made the ball bounce higher, which helped.”
Cerundolo’s Swiss Open campaign includes a career-best victory over World No. 13 Casper Ruud in the quarterfinals. His inspired performances have seen him leap 28 places to No. 81 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, ensuring his return to the ATP Top 100 for the first time since last year.
Sunday’s final promises an exciting contrast in styles—Bublik’s aggressive, big-serving game against Cerundolo’s clay-court guile and finesse.
As Bublik chases his sixth ATP Tour title, Cerundolo will look to end his own drought and cap off what has already been a career-resurrecting week in the Swiss Alps.