Alexander Bublik is the first to go through to the semi-finals at the 30. TERRA WORTMANN OPEN. The Kazakh benefited from Jannik Sinner, who had congratulated his opponent on his success at the beginning of the second set, having to resign. What happened? Bublik tried to annoy Sinner with stop shots during the first set, and Sinner slipped to get one of these shots and the man from South Tyrol strained his adductors.
The world’s no. 9 played on and one couldn’t really tell he was injured at first. But after losing the first set (5:7) he took a medical timeout and left the court. The first-time player in Halle, who had defeated Richard Gasquet and Lorenzo Sonego in two marathon matches, then came back, played on, lost his service 0:2 and it showed that he was not going to go on playing any longer.
Bad luck for Sinner, good luck for Bublik. The Kazakh, the tennis world’s no. 48, is through to the semi-finals for the first time in Halle and for the second time in a semi-final (first time in Marseille in February). The 26 year-old showed a great performance against the top-10 star; he brought Sinner in some difficulties with good services, good stop shots and a lot of calmness in tricky situations. At 5:3 Bublik already had a set point, Sinner got the re-break though. In extension time, in which the Kasakh went into the lead 6:5 and took Sinner’s service again and the used the second set point to make it 7:5. Just a short while after it was all over for Sinner.
