Bublik wins the tiebreak
Bublik did not play any match all week. he had a first-round bye, then withdrew when Fabian Marozan fell ill. He showed no rust. In the first set, Khachanov saved two break points at 1-2 and Bublik at 2-2 before Khachanov broke late to take the set.
From there, the server dominated. Bublik won the second set in a tiebreak with a service winner. He looked the stronger player in the third, earning two break points at 3-3 and pressing again to 4-4, holding comfortably. In the deciding tiebreak, a backhand drive down the line followed by a forehand volley gave him the advantage. He finished with 21 aces on the tenth anniversary of his decision to represent Kazakhstan.
“It could have gone either way because it’s so close and we’re both great servers,” Bublik said. “Maybe I took a little more chances when I hit this shot. All credit to him because it could have gone either way.”
19th-ranked Bublik now leads Khachanov 2-1. He reaches his first semi-final since 2021, when it was held in Astana. Khachanov, the 2024 champion, saved 5 points by defeating Tomasz Machak on Thursday.
Medvedev is untouchable on serve
No. 5 ranked Medvedev will not face a break point in his match against Atmane. He converted two of his eight break chances at 3-3 in the first set and early in the second. He didn’t drop a point in his last two service games and now leads Atman 3-0 after their meetings at the 2024 Australian Open and in Halle this June.
“The shots were great, the serve was great, zero break points to save,” Medvedev said. “Even if I only broke him once in two sets, I had more chances to break him, so it puts a lot of pressure on the opponent.”
Medvedev, seeded sixth in Turin, is two wins away from his first career title defense. He leads Bublik 6-1, but Bublik won their last meeting, in the 2025 Halle final, 6-3, 7-6 (4).
Almaty ATP 250, RESULTS:
• Quarter finals
D. Medvedev (1) d. T. Atmane: 6-4, 6-4
A Bublik (3) d. K. Khachanov (5): 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(5)
d. of N. Basilashvili A. Mannarino: 6-3, 6-1
S. Tsitsipas (7) d. J. Duckworth: 6-3, 6-4
• Semi-final
D. Medvedev (1) vs A. Bagel (3)
N. Basilashvili vs. S. Tsitsipas (7)
