Fresh off notching an 18th consecutive Grand Slam victory, Jannik Sinner takes on disruptive Alexander Bublik in Wednesday's French Open quarter-final.
The Kazakh stunned Jack Draper in a comeback fourth-round victory to reach the last eight, where he will take on the leading player on the men's tour, who dispatched Andrey Rublev in straight sets under the lights on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Match preview
© Imago
Although it came on a different surface, Rublev being one of two players to defeat Sinner on a hard court last year meant some observers felt Monday's fourth-round match could be a banana peel for the top seed.
The Italian had other ideas, though, sealing a comprehensive 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 victory to continue his winning run at the Grand Slams, having last lost at last year's Wimbledon.
Daniil Medvedev was the last player to beat the 23-year-old at the Slams, something no other player on the men's tour has managed across the final major of 2024 in the United States, Australia this year and so far at Roland Garros.
Entering Wednesday on an 18-match winning streak at the Slams, the Italian's only defeat in 2025 came in Rome this month in the world No. 1's first event since returning from a three-month suspension.
Four wins since that loss to Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner - who has now secured 72 Grand Slam victories to surpass compatriot Fabio Fognini - seeks a 73rd success to set up a mouthwatering semi-final with Alexander Zverev or Novak Djokovic.
© Imago
Comeback king Bublik will have other ideas, as he chases another upset victory after triumphs over Alex de Minaur and Jack Draper.
Having trailed by two sets against the Australian before roaring back to clinch a wildly exciting success in five, the Kazakh star then stunned the British No. 1 on Monday, recovering from losing the opening set to seal a 5-7 6-3 6-2 6-4 victory.
In a high-level match with Draper that saw Bublik accrue 68 winners to the world No. 5's 37, the 27-year-old's win means he will be involved in a Grand Slam quarter-final for the first time.
A run to the Wimbledon fourth round was the lively player's previous best showing at the leading events entering the ongoing Slam, but that wait is now over for the towering player after breaking new ground in Paris.
The second round was Bublik's French Open ceiling after six tries from 2019 to 2024; however, four victories at the event this year, including two over top-10 players, have seen the Kazakh improve to 8-6, and he seeks a ninth to upset the apple cart and advance to a first Grand Slam semi-final.
Tournament so far
Jannik Sinner:
First round: vs. Arthur Rinderknech 6-4 6-3 7-5
Second round: vs. Richard Gasquet 6-3 6-0 6-4
Third round: vs. Jiri Lehecka 6-0 6-1 6-2
Round of 16: vs. Andrey Rublev 6-1 6-3 6-4
Alexander Bublik:
First round: vs. James Duckworth 6-2 6-4 6-4
Second round: vs. Alex de Minaur 2-6 2-6 6-4 6-3 6-2
Third round: vs. Henrique Rocha 7-5 6-1 6-2
Round of 16: vs. Jack Draper 5-7 6-3 6-2 6-4
Head To Head
Halle (2023) - Quarter-final: Bublik 7-5 2-0 ret.
's-Hertogenbosch (2023) - Round of 16: Sinner 6-4 6-2
Miami Masters (2021) - Quarter-final: Sinner 7-6(5) 6-4
Dubai (2021) - Round of 32: Sinner 2-6 7-6(2) 6-4
Sinner heads into his fifth meeting with Bublik seeking a fourth victory to improve his 3-1 record in their head-to-head.
The Kazakhstani player's only win came on grass two years ago, although the Italian was forced to retire a set and break down in Halle.
Bublik seeks his third top-10 victory at the French Open to follow wins over De Minaur and Draper and the fourth overall in 2025 — the Kazakh also beat Rublev in Madrid.
We say: Sinner to win in four sets
Bublik is an undeniable disruptor, and the Kazakh's hard-hitting style could help him to a set on Wednesday.
However, Sinner's high-level play has reinforced his French Open prospects before the quarters, which the top seed is expected to seal in four sets to reach another semi-final in Paris.
