Alexander Bublik may be best known for his explosive game and eccentric flair. Still, when we met him for a brief conversation after arriving in Gstaad, the Kazakh player appeared calm, focused, and grounded, more interested in rhythm than headlines.

Fresh off his career-best grass court performance in Halle, where he defeated Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner in the early rounds before dispatching Khachanov and Medvedev en route to the title, Bublik has arrived in Gstaad with momentum. Clay may not be his favourite surface, but he’s made peace with it.

“If I made the decision to come here, it’s obviously because I feel like I can play well on clay,” he said. “I showed that this season already. And it’s a beautiful destination; I always vacation in St. Moritz for a month every year with my family. So, coming to Gstaad feels kind of natural for us.”

Family seems to play a central role in his tour choices this summer. Accompanied by his wife Tatiyana and their three-year-old son, Bublik spoke warmly about combining tennis with family time in Switzerland.

While his Wimbledon campaign ended sooner than expected, he doesn’t read too much into it. “I won Halle, so I wouldn't say the grass preparation was short. It was just one of those days — super hot, I was a bit emotionally flat, playing on a small side court with barely 100 people watching.”

That lack of crowd energy seemed to matter more than the surface. “Usually I’m on big courts, so when it’s quiet, I don’t have anything to feed off. That 5% you get from the crowd was missing. It’s hard to push when you're flat.”

In Gstaad, the conditions, including the altitude, could suit him well, especially his serve. “We’ll see,” he said with a shrug. “I’ve lost and won at altitude, so it’s not really something to overthink. Match by match, that’s the only approach that makes sense. Except for a couple of guys, everyone loses to everyone on tour.”

Measured words from a player often portrayed as unpredictable. But behind the wit and unorthodox playstyle lies a sharp competitor who knows exactly what he’s doing, and who just might be one to watch closely this week in Gstaad.

Jeanette Wichman