Night marathon victory belongs to Alexander Bublik

The last word on Saturday at Wimbledon belonged to Alexander Bublik, under the lights of Court One. The tenth seed defeated America's Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(11), 4-6, 6-3 after a breathless battle lasting four hours and 11 minutes to reach the last 16. One of tennis's most unpredictable talents, the Kazakh treated the crowd to an unforgettable show, striking no fewer than 83 winners across the match.

Tiafoe made the stronger start, taking the opening set 6-4, but Bublik kept his nerve in two tie-breaks to swing the contest his way. The legendary 13-11 breaker at the end of a third set lasting one hour and 16 minutes proved the turning point of the night. A defiant Tiafoe forced a decider by taking the fourth, yet when the decisive moments arrived, Bublik owned the stage once more. The Kazakh grabbed an early break in the fifth and wrapped up the set 6-3 in just 29 minutes.

Stamping his authority on the night with a giant serve, surprise drop shots and fearless shot selection, Bublik won 86 per cent of the points behind his first serve. Tiafoe, backed loudly by the crowd, paid for converting only two of the nine break chances he created with his exit from the tournament.

Hovering around the highest rankings of his career and arriving in London as the world number 11, Bublik once again proved his special affinity for grass. His last-16 opponent will come from the clash in his section of the draw. In this form, the Kazakh is a man nobody will want to face in the second week.

Match Stats
Score: 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(11), 4-6, 6-3 · Duration: 4 hours 11 minutes
Winners: Bublik 83 – Tiafoe 47 · Unforced errors: Bublik 50 – Tiafoe 44
Breaks: Bublik 1/10 – Tiafoe 2/9

Image: Tennis Majors