The BOSS Open in Stuttgart is heating up. On Wednesday, Alexander Bublik delivered the most convincing performance of the tournament so far, dispatching local favourite Jan-Lennard Struff in three sets (7-6(3), 3-6, 6-2). A match that encapsulated the Kazakh's style: unpredictable, occasionally frustrating, but ruthlessly decisive when it matters.
Struff had pushed back with aggressive tennis, including a stunning passing shot that lit up social media. But Bublik raised his level in the decider, cruising through the third set 6-2 to book his quarterfinal spot.
On the other side of the draw, Mattia Bellucci continues his impressive run. The Italian secured a second consecutive win to reach the quarterfinals, where a clash with third seed Taylor Fritz could await. Fritz, who assumed the role of top contender after several post-Roland Garros withdrawals, remains the man to beat on the Swabian grass.
Thursday's schedule promises fireworks. Top seed Ben Shelton faces Marcos Giron in the second round. Nick Kyrgios, whose thunderous first-round return against Corentin Moutet made headlines, takes on Japan's Sho Shimabukuro. Both matches could shape the semifinal picture.
With Tommy Paul's withdrawal (neck injury) and Alexander Zverev's absence, the draw is wide open. Martin Landaluce, the Spanish revelation of the early season, is also among the in-form players after his second-round win. Stuttgart, often seen as a barometer for the grass season, is delivering in 2026.
