HALLE, WESTPHALIA/STARNBERG, June 22, 2025
Alexander Bublik earned every drop of Bouvet champagne Daniil Medvedev poured into his open mouth after the match. The 28-year-old from Kazakhstan delivered a stunning performance to defeat the top-seeded Russian 6–3, 7–6(4) in a high-quality final and claim the title at the 32nd edition of the TERRA WORTMANN OPEN in Halle, Westphalia.
Throughout the week, Bublik remained composed under pressure, showing the poise of a poker player and offering only minimal words after each win. But after stringing together six straight points in the second-set tiebreak to convert his first championship point, his emotions finally broke through. As the 11,500 fans on the sold-out Centre Court erupted in celebration, Bublik collapsed to the ground in tears, overcome with emotion.
He is BACK
The moment Bublik claimed his first-ever win over Medvedev for the Halle title#TWO25 pic.twitter.com/lP3MU3KsNJ
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 22, 2025
“From Wimbledon last year until Madrid this year, I had serious problems. I dropped in the rankings and didn’t understand why,” Bublik later shared. “To then reach the quarterfinals in Paris and win the title here in Halle — it’s beyond anything I could have imagined. This is a major comeback in my career.”
His game plan had clearly paid off. “I was 100 per cent mentally focused,” Bublik said. “I didn’t show any emotion — not even the positive ones. I just wanted to hold serve and attack. See how it goes. And it went great.”
Medvedev, though disappointed, was gracious in defeat. “It was a good week,” he said with a smile, congratulating Bublik before adding, “I hope you’re in Carlos (Alcaraz)’s or Jannik (Sinner)’s half of the draw at Wimbledon!”
German tennis legend Boris Becker, who presented the trophy on Sunday, had already called Bublik a “very dangerous player” before the semifinals — and the former World No. 1 was proven right.
Bublik, currently ranked 43rd in the world, played exceptional tennis throughout the final. He never faced a single break point and took the first set with a decisive break at 5–3, sealing it moments later with a powerful ace down the middle.
The second set featured more entertaining rallies but few break chances. Eventually, it came down to a tiebreak. Medvedev jumped to a 4–1 lead after a Bublik double fault — but couldn’t win another point. Bublik stormed back with six consecutive points to take the match.
This marks Bublik’s second title in Halle, having first lifted the trophy in 2023 after defeating Andrey Rublev in three sets. It’s also the fifth ATP Tour career title. For Medvedev, heartbreak in Halle continues — after finishing runner-up in 2022 to Hubert Hurkacz, he again walks away with silver.
Krawietz/Puetz triumph in doubles
Earlier in the day, Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz captured the doubles title in Halle. The all-German duo defeated the defending champions from Italy, Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori, 6-3, 7-6, to claim their first trophy at the prestigious grass-court event.
Even an hour after the final, Krawietz was still in awe of the electrifying atmosphere created by the 11,500 spectators in the sold-out OWL ARENA. “For me, it’s the best stadium in the world for doubles players. Walking out onto the court gives you goosebumps. And when the crowd erupts on match point or at the end, it’s just a special moment – especially here in Germany.”
For his partner Puetz, the connection to Halle runs even deeper. From 2014 to 2018, he played in the German Bundesliga for local club Blau-Weiß Halle, winning two team titles. “I don’t need a GPS to drive to Halle,” he joked. “It’s always been a special place for me. When I was first signed to play Bundesliga here, it became my home away from home. To now win the tournament at this stage of my career makes it even more meaningful.”
With their victory, “KraPü” become the first all-German doubles team to lift the trophy in Halle since Christopher Kas and Philipp Kohlschreiber in 2009. Michael Stich and Karsten Braasch also triumphed in 1997. The 2025 title is their first of the season as a duo, following narrow defeats in the finals of Munich and Adelaide – both times against Bolelli and Vavassori.
