Halle Open: Jannik Sinner's title defence over after shocking loss to Bublik

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner's title defence at the Halle Open came to an abrupt end on Thursday, as he suffered a shock 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 defeat to Alexander Bublik in the round of 16. The Kazakhstani, ranked 45th in the world, produced one of the finest performances of his career to upset the top seed and book his place in the quarter-finals.advertisementSinner, who was aiming to become the first player since Roger Federer to win consecutive titles in Halle, looked in control early on, breaking Bublik twice to race to a 3-0 lead and sealing the opening set with authority. But the match quickly shifted as Bublik responded with his trademark flair, firing 36 winners, including 15 aces, to disrupt the rhythm of the usually composed Italian.It marked Sinner's first defeat to a player outside the Top 20 since his loss to Dusan Lajovic in Cincinnati last year. Ironically, Bublik had also beaten Sinner en route to winning the title in Halle in 2023, now making it two wins in as many appearances against the Italian at this grass-court event.
"I don't know. I kept serving. I tried to get back whatever I can," Bublik said after the win. "He's an unbelievable player. I was not thinking I could beat him."advertisementBublik saved three break points early in the second set and broke at 4-2 before levelling the match. In the decider, a crucial break in the seventh game gave him a 4-3 lead, which he consolidated with three more aces to close out the contest in just under two hours.The 26-year-old will now face Czech seventh seed Tomas Machac, who cruised past Fabian Marozsan 6-2, 6-3.Elsewhere in Halle, German second seed Alexander Zverev battled back from a set down to defeat Lorenzo Sonego 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(2), maintaining his perfect record against the Italian. Zverev, a two-time finalist in Halle still searching for his maiden grass-court crown, will next meet Flavio Cobolli, who edged past Denis Shapovalov in a tense three-setter, 7-6(2), 4-6, 7-6(5).Meanwhile, fourth seed Andrey Rublev became the latest high-profile casualty, losing to Argentina's Tomas Etcheverry 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-6(6) in a gripping three-hour contest. Etcheverry saved two match points in the final-set tiebreak to advance and will face Russia's Karen Khachanov, who overcame Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.

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