French Open: Bublik stuns De Minaur with thrilling five-set comeback; Rocha upsets Mensik

Paris, May 29 (IANS) Alexander Bublik produced one of the most remarkable comebacks of Roland-Garros 2025 so far, overturning a two-set deficit to defeat No. 9 seed Alex De Minaur 2-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 and book his place in the third round on Thursday.

For much of the opening hour, it seemed like De Minaur was in complete control. The Australian looked sharp and full of energy under the clear Paris skies, racing through the first two sets with his trademark speed and discipline. Bublik, known for his unorthodox style, appeared frustrated and flat, offering little resistance as the world No. 9 dictated play from the baseline.

But the match shifted suddenly and dramatically in the third set. With nothing to lose, Bublik began to loosen up. His risky shot selection started to pay off — drop shots, booming serves, and angled winners began finding their mark. The Kazakh broke De Minaur’s rhythm with a mix of flair and fearlessness, clinching the third set 6-4 to signal a turning point.

From there, it was all Bublik. He dominated the fourth set with confident net play and consistent pressure on return, levelling the match at two sets apiece. De Minaur, who had looked so focused earlier, began to struggle with Bublik’s unpredictable tempo and couldn’t find answers to his opponent’s resurgence.

In the final set, Bublik completed the turnaround in style. He broke twice to surge ahead, ending any hopes of a De Minaur recovery. The match finished after three hours and 14 minutes, with Bublik sealing the win on his first match point.

It’s a disappointing exit for De Minaur, who had enjoyed a strong clay-court season and was looking to at least replicate his quarter-final appearance from last year. He had earlier beaten Laslo Djere in straight sets and started the second-round match in dominant fashion, but failed to respond once Bublik caught fire.

Bublik, ranked No. 62, will next face Portuguese qualifier Henrique Rocha in the third round.

Rocha sent another big-name packing from Roland Garros on Day 5, getting the better of Miami ATP Masters winner Jakub Mensik in five sets. The young Portuguese player, a qualifier ranked 200 in the world and making his Grand Slam main draw debut, also came back from two sets down to win in five sets.

Rocha eventually won 2-6, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 in over three hours on Court 7.

--IANS

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