Alexander Bublik had to replay a point against Felix Auger-Aliassime after a VAR review but responded outrageously to that setback.
Bublik and Auger-Aliassime were locked in a tight opening set that went to a tiebreak. Both men possess great serves, meaning how close the match was should not have been surprising to those watching.
However, the controversy that emerged after an error in judgment from a ball kid could not have been predicted. At 6-6 in the tiebreak, Bublik hit a smash that Auger-Aliassime got a racket on, but it landed out.
Bublik screamed in delight, but his joy would prove short-lived. Auger-Aliassime argued that the ball kid hampered him by moving to catch the ball while the Canadian was trying to put it back into play.
That led to the umpire, Miriam Bley, initiating a video review, something which was brought in recently. The replay clearly showed that Auger-Aliassime’s complaints were correct because the ball kid moved forward to claim the ball.
Bley rightly called for the point to be replayed. Bublik felt hard done by since he would have been the favorite to win the point even if the ball kid had not intervened, but the umpire had no choice but to call for a replay.
Rather than feel sorry for himself, Bublik left the fans in Dubai in raptures after hitting an underarm serve on the replayed point. Auger-Aliassime did not see it coming and stood rooted to the spot as the ball bounced twice to confirm an ace.
The Kazakhstani raised his arms to the crowd and then gestured to the shell-shocked Auger-Aliassime, who did not seem impressed by the underarm serve or Bublik’s reaction to it.
However, the former US Open boys’ champion responded swiftly to take the set. He won the next two points before Bublik hit a double fault to hand Auger-Aliassime the set, who responded by cupping his ear to the crowd and laughing.
As the commentator in the video below of the incident noted, there seemed to be no love lost between the pair. Auger-Aliassime did nothing wrong by asking for the video review, but it added a heated element to the match.
Ultimately, the Canadian had the last laugh. Auger-Aliassime won a dramatic battle 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 despite Bublik saving 14 break points during the match. Although there was much great shot-making, the contest will be remembered for the VAR check and Bublik’s underarm serve.
After that incident, Auger-Aliassime did well to keep his cool against the notoriously mercurial Bublik. It was another positive moment for him in 2025, having already won two ATP titles this season.
The most recent of those titles was against Aleksandar Kovacevic in Montpellier, winning the final against him in a deciding set tiebreak. His greater experience in finals probably proved crucial in the end.
Auger-Aliassime had to retire in his next match in Rotterdam but returned at the 2025 Qatar Open, reaching the semifinal. Defeating Bublik continues the 24-year-old’s momentum and impressive start to the season.
