Bublik Upsets World No.1 Sinner At Halle Open

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner's attempt to defend his Halle Open title ended with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 loss to Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik, marking Sinner's first defeat to a player outside the top 20 since 2023. Bublik, ranked 45th, executed an impressive comeback after losing the first set, using strong serving and 36 winners, including 15 aces, to claim victory and secure his second win over Sinner in six meetings. Despite Sinner's early dominance in the match and a previous quarterfinal win over Bublik at the French Open, the grass surface and Bublik's aggressive play turned the tide. Bublik described the win as a significant accomplishment, noting he had never beaten a world No. 1 before and credited his serving and forehand for the win. Bublik will face Tomas Machac in the quarterfinals, while Alexander Zverev also advanced after a tough three-set win over Lorenzo Sonego. Sinner's defeat ends a remarkable streak where he had lost only to Carlos Alcaraz since August 2023.