Bublik had the match, then handed it back
Two sets to one up. Serving well, reading the returns, running the show. Alexander Bublik was an hour from the fourth round of the US Open this afternoon in New York. He spent the end of it watching Tommy Paul close the thing out.
The 20th seed won 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-3 against the 15th seed, and the last two sets were barely a contest. Paul dropped four games across them. Bublik, who had spent the middle of the match dictating almost every rally he wanted, stopped competing for anything that required a second effort.
Paul took the opening set on a single break. Bublik answered by lifting his level for the best part of ninety minutes, taking the second and then edging the third in a tie-break. From there the Kazakh went flat, and Paul, who has built a career on making opponents play one more ball than they want to, did exactly that.
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A rematch he had waiting for him
There was history here. Bublik knocked Paul out of the US Open last year, and the American has not been shy about how much that stung. Getting the fixture back in the same building, one round further along, gave the afternoon an edge that the scoreline only half explains.
Bublik had arrived in the third round after seeing off Adrian Mannarino, and his form through the first week suggested a seed capable of causing damage. Instead he becomes the latest name in a top half of the draw that has been shedding seeds since Sunday.
The rest of the day, and what comes next
Carlos Alcaraz moved through in straight sets against Yibing Wu, 6-3, 6-4, 6-1, still short of his best but comfortable enough. Daniil Medvedev handled Arthur Rinderknech 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 without dropping serve in a meaningful moment.
Saturday brings the other half of the third round. Alexander Zverev, who has needed five sets in each of his opening two matches, faces Alejandro Tabilo in the night session. Taylor Fritz plays Francisco Cerundolo, and Learner Tien meets Jakub Mensik in the pick of the American ties.
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