Alexander Bublik sparked widespread shock at the Shanghai Masters after a fiery baseline outburst left him needing medical treatment.
During his third-round clash against American 16th seed Brandon Nakashima, the 19th-seeded Kazakh squandered two set points before surrendering a tense opening-set tiebreak 7-6(7).
Immediately following the lost set point, Bublik lost his composure, smashing his racket into the court five times until it was completely destroyed.
Upon returning to his bench for the changeover, he kicked his chair and struck the lid of a sideline drinks cooler in frustration cutting open his hand.
Medical timeout and unexpected comeback
The self-inflicted wound forced Bublik to call a medical timeout so trainers could wrap his bloody hand.
Fans on social media slammed the incident as “crazy behavior,” expressing disbelief over the sudden loss of temper. However, the injury break surprisingly reset the contest.
Regaining control to advance
Refocusing his energy, Bublik produced a brilliant tactical shift in the second set. He elevated his first-serve win percentage and dominated baseline exchanges to comfortably level the match 6-3.
The deciding set turned into a high-octane battle of holds. Trailing in another tiebreak, Bublik dialed in 22 total aces across the match, keeping Nakashima’s baseline rhythm at bay.
The Kazakh eventually closed out a thrilling 6-7(7), 6-3, 7-6(5) victory to secure his spot in the last 16.
