Brad Gilbert, former coach of Coco Gauff, has commended Alexander Bublik for advancing to his first-ever French Open quarterfinal. Bublik secured the spot by defeating Jack Draper in the fourth round with a 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory.
Bublik arrived in Paris following a title-winning run at the Turin Challenger and a first-round loss in Hamburg. He quickly found his rhythm with impressive victories over Alex De Minaur and Henrique Rocha in the early rounds, then displayed his quality against Jack Draper in the fourth round.
Renowned coach Brad Gilbert praised Bublik’s resurgence after he reached the quarterfinals in Paris. The American highlighted Bublik’s hard work and described him as one of the most unpredictable players on the tour.
“Bublik entered Roland Garros with a 7-13 record and regained his confidence through a few strong performances at Challenger events. It’s incredible how things can turn around when you put in the effort,” said Brad Gilbert, former coach of Coco Gauff. He added, “Bublik is incredibly unpredictable.”
Alexander Bublik’s impressive run at the 2025 French Open has drawn praise from Brad Gilbert, the former coach of Coco Gauff. Gilbert applauded Bublik for reaching his first French Open quarterfinal after defeating Jack Draper 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in the fourth round.
Bublik arrived in Paris following a title-winning performance at the Turin Challenger and a first-round defeat in Hamburg. He quickly found momentum with strong victories over Alex De Minaur and Henrique Rocha before outclassing Draper to book his spot in the final eight.
Brad Gilbert highlighted Bublik’s resurgence, noting how the Kazakh entered Roland Garros with a 7-13 record and regained confidence with solid Challenger-level results. “It’s amazing how quickly things can turn around when you put in the work,” Gilbert remarked. He also described Bublik as “so unpredictable,” a trait that makes him stand out on tour.
Bublik didn’t start the season strong, suffering early exits in Adelaide, Melbourne, Doha, Dubai, and Indian Wells. However, he shifted momentum with a runner-up finish at the Phoenix Challenger and a solid fourth-round run in Madrid.
Determined to rebuild, the 27-year-old kept competing on the Challenger circuit and clinched the Turin Challenger title last month by defeating Yunchaokete Bu 6-3, 6-3 in the final.
After earning the biggest win of his career, Bublik reflected on the moment in his post-match interview. “Sometimes in life, there’s only one chance,” he said. “I felt this was mine, and I couldn’t let it slip. Standing here, this is the best moment of my life.”
Bublik had never advanced beyond the second round in six previous French Open appearances. Now, he stands just two wins away from the final.
He will face Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. This marks Bublik’s seventh appearance at Roland Garros, and although Sinner holds a 3-1 lead in their head-to-head, Bublik won their most recent meeting at the 2023 Halle Open. Wednesday’s clash will be their first match on clay. The winner will go on to meet either Novak Djokovic or Alexander Zverev in the semifinals.
