Alexander Bublik smashes racket in furious on-court explosion after missing out on £230k
Frustration got the better of Alexander Bublik in the final of the Ultimate Tennis Showdown.
Alexander Bublik’s racket bore the brunt of his frustration as he lost in the final of the Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS) event in New York. The Kazakhstani player took on Gael Monfils for glory at Forest Hills Stadium on Friday, but despite a good start, lost his way in the final three quarters.
It was the Frenchman who ultimately came through the clash, played with the tournament’s innovative scoring system, 10-20 17-13 17-14 15-14.
The turning point appeared to come in the third quarter, with Monfils leading 15-13 before Bublik missed with a routine forehand to further extend the gap.
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Playing under the alias ‘The Bublik Enemy’, the world No.27 then appeared to live up to that persona. In a fit of rage, he repeatedly hammered his racket onto the hard court, destroying it in the process.
His anger could be attributed to the fact that Bublik will now miss out on the end of year final in London in December. ‘La Monf’ meanwhile, will now head to London with a chance of landing the top prize of £234,000.
Bublik’s meltdown was greeted with a mixed reaction on social media, with @uncomortablefarmer writing: “So Bublik not only earns less money by losing that match, he’s also one racket poorer!”
@musicproducer07 wrote: “There's just something so comical about people realising that Bublik means serious business whenever he throws a racquet.” @DeliciousPop8499 added: “It has to be an act.”
The UTS was designed by Patrick Mouratoglou, with the goal of attracting the younger generation to a faster paced format. And the latest event not only helped serve as part of the build-up to the US Open, but also featured the long awaited return of Nick Kyrgios after injury.
And after leaving Bublik raging, Monfils admitted that he had taken the event seriously, saying he was “very motivated for this one”. He added:“I’m really happy, especially to win here in New York.
“I am proud. I’m in a good form, I show great tennis these two days, I feel ready for New York next week. I’ve been playing great. Now, I just show again. I can’t wait for Monday.”
Monfils takes on Diego Schwartzman in his first round match at Flushing Meadows today. Bublik is also in action, and will face Chinese player Shang Juncheng.
