The Halle grass continues to shred the form book. After Flavio Cobolli's fall on Monday against Frances Tiafoe, it was Alexander Bublik, the seventh seed and two-time defending champion, who was sent packing in the first round on Tuesday. The Kazakh lost to qualifier Mattia Bellucci, ranked 74th in the world, 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-3.
Bublik arrived in Germany as a legitimate contender. Winner of the tournament in 2023 and 2025, he knew every corner of the OWL Arena. His variety-packed game, built on serve-and-volley, drop shots and flat strokes, seemed made for this fast grass. But against Bellucci, nothing went according to plan.
The first set was tight, both men trading blows until the tiebreak. Bublik even held a mini-break lead before surrendering it 7-5 in the decider. The second set swung in Bellucci's favour when the Kazakh produced a double fault at 5-5 on a crucial point. The Italian immediately converted the break to lead 6-5, then served to level the match at one set apiece.
In the third set, Bublik's focus evaporated. Bellucci, 25, delivered aggressive returns that forced the defending champion to play one extra ball on every rally. An early break in the third settled the contest. Bellucci held firm to the finish, sealing the match with an ace.
For Bellucci, this victory represents the biggest grass-court scalp of his career. The Italian, more comfortable on clay, had travelled to Halle through qualifying with modest expectations. He will face Frances Tiafoe, who dispatched Cobolli, in the second round, a clash of two players brimming with confidence.
Bublik's exit follows Cobolli's (sixth seed) on Day 1. In two days, the Halle Open has already lost two of its eight seeds, confirming the unpredictable nature of early-season grass. Players arriving from the clay struggle to find their footing on a surface that demands rapid adjustments in footwork, timing and decision-making.
All eyes now turn to the big names entering the fray. Alexander Zverev, the top seed and Roland-Garros champion, faces Vit Kopriva. Daniil Medvedev, the fourth seed, takes on Tomas Martin Etcheverry. Taylor Fritz begins against Zizou Bergs. Halle's grass has set the scene for a tournament where nothing can be taken for granted.
