“My goal right now is to be top 10… if I continue to work with this concentration, I can really do it,” said Alexander Bublik last year. Now just days into the new season and he appears to be backing up those words right from the get go.

The 28-year-old captured his ninth ATP Tour title at the Hong Kong Tennis Open, defeating Lorenzo Musetti, who has now lost his past seven finals. Ranked No. 11 in the world, Bublik improved his head-to-head record against Musetti to 3-1, but despite the one-sided stat, he showed nothing but respect and empathy for his opponent after the match.

Hours after the final, The Tennis Letter shared a post on X noting Bublik’s classy reaction, writing that he had kind words for Musetti following the win. During his post-match interview, Bublik addressed Musetti first, saying, “I’d like to start with Lorenzo. I also have lost a lot of finals in my life. I know how it feels.”

Coming from someone who has endured similar setbacks, the message carried weight. At the start of 2025, Alexander Bublik found himself in a precarious spot, slipping as low as No. 82 in the rankings after a difficult stretch that began late in 2024.

For a player with top-tier talent, the drop raised questions about his direction, but Bublik responded the only way he knows how: by fighting back. Slowly but surely, he turned his season around and closed the year knocking on the door of the top 10.

As the months rolled on, everything began to click. Bublik posted a strong 37-22 record across eleven months, making the most of his chances on tour and climbing all the way up to world No. 11. Ultimately, the turnaround was remarkable, and the margins were razor-thin, as he finished the year just 120 points shy of cracking the top 10.

That journey is exactly why Alexander Bublik felt compelled to offer words of wisdom to his 23-year-old opponent.

“But these finals that you lost are going to lead to some very big moments in your career. I’m sure you’re gonna win something you cannot even dream about now. I wish you all the success. I wish your team all the success. I wish you’re gonna win a very big title very soon. You deserve it,” he said.

Indeed, it was a heartfelt and thoughtful message from Bublik, who could clearly see how devastated his younger opponent was in the aftermath of the loss.

Alexander Bublik’s rival eyes stronger comeback

Lorenzo Musetti struggled to hide his disappointment after suffering his seventh consecutive defeat in an ATP final. Speaking candidly after the match, the Italian admitted how difficult the moment was, saying, “It’s not easy to speak after a defeat, especially in a final: it feels like finals aren’t my matches.”

Still, Musetti made sure to acknowledge his opponent. Pointing toward Alexander Bublik, he offered his congratulations and praised his recent success. “Congratulations to Sasha, also for last year’s results: nothing but applause for him,” Musetti said, before also thanking the tournament organizers for their continued improvements and expressing gratitude toward his team and family for their unwavering support.

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He closed with optimism, adding that he hopes they will lift a trophy together next time. However, Musetti’s loss doesn’t tell the full story of his season or his progress.

The 23-year-old Italian was chasing his first title since lifting the trophy in Naples in 2022, but instead endured another tough final setback. He now holds a 2-7 record in tour-level finals, a stark contrast to Bublik’s 9-7 record in championship matches, according to the ATP Win/Loss Index.

Despite the disappointment, there was still a major silver lining for Lorenzo Musetti. On Monday, he is set to climb into the Top 5 of the PIF ATP Rankings for the first time in his career. That milestone makes him just the third Italian to reach the elite group, joining Jannik Sinner and Adriano Panatta, and offers a powerful reminder that brighter days are still ahead.