Hongkong
Bublik strives to break through the top ten in the Hong Kong finals
The 28-year-old will become the first Kazakh man to enter the top 10
January 11, 2026
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If Alexander Bublik wins the Hong Kong title, he will join the top ten in the PIF ATP live rankings.
Written by ATP Staff
Alexander Bublik is on the verge of a career milestone. If the 28-year-old wins the Bank of China Hong Kong Open on Sunday, Bublik will enter the top 10 of the PIF ATP rankings for the first time.
The unpredictable and entertaining Bublik has been one of the most in-form players since May of last season. In March last year, Bublik was as low as 82nd in the PIF ATP rankings, but then a dramatic turnaround occurred. Bublik reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time at the French Open, and also won in Halle, Gstaad, Kitzbühel and Hangzhou.
“I always say that winning won’t make me fly, and losing won’t make me fall,” Bublik said after winning his eighth career title in Hangzhou last September. “I’m trying to stay consistent. I love what I do. I’m just happy that I’m able to travel and compete and stay healthy and the wins are coming…it’s awesome.”
Bublik has 2,980 points in the PIF ATP live rankings, 10 points behind No. 10 Jack Draper. If Bublik wins the Hong Kong Championship, he will add another 85 points and surpass the British.
Bublik, who aims to become the first Kazakh man to crack the top ten, has long been committed to a style that is both glamorous and unconventional. He can serve and then hit the ball with a shuttlecock. He seems almost unserious, only focused when it matters most.
Bublik is undoubtedly one of the most interesting figures in the Tour de France, but he is also dangerous. Last year in Halle, Bublik beat then-world No. 1 Jannik Sinner at Roland Garros, with the Italian beating him just two weeks later.
Since this is the opening week of the 2026 season, Bublik will become the first player this year to earn his first top-10 finish. Last season, four players cracked the top 10 for the first time: Jake Draper, Lorenzo Musetti, Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton.
Musetti will face off against Bublik across the net in the ATP 250 final in Hong Kong on Sunday. The Italian has already achieved his own milestone this week, finishing in the top five for the first time. Musetti, 23, will become the third Italian in the history of the PIF ATP Rankings to reach the top five, joining former No. 4 Adriano Panatta (1976) and World No. 2 Jannik Sinner (2024). This will mark the first time two Italian men have finished in the top five of the PIF ATP Rankings at the same time.
