Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the ATP Gstaad match.
Kazakh showdowns are a rarity on either the ATP or WTA Tour, but Gstaad will play host to one such occasion. Two players sharing both a name and nationality — Alexander Shevchenko and Alexander Bublik — are set to meet. They’ve faced each other just once previously, with Alexander Bublik taking the win.
Alexander Shevchenko
The Kazakh contributed to edging Stan Wawrinka closer to his farewell from both professional tennis and his home crowd, in a match lasting just 1 hour and 15 minutes. Alexander Shevchenko converted three of six break point chances. Despite landing only 59% of his first serves, he won 79% of those points — a statistic that compensated for the lower percentage. It was his first win following three consecutive losses at ATP Tour events, yet each of those defeats was closely contested. He lost by six games at Wimbledon, three in Mallorca, and took his opponent to five sets at Roland Garros, falling just two games short.
Alexander Bublik
Strong displays in May and June secured Alexander Bublik the second seed in Gstaad, granting him a bye into the second round. Even his early elimination at Wimbledon — a five-set loss to Jaume Munar (4:6, 6:3, 6:4, 6:7, 2:6) — barely affected his ranking. He dropped just three places and currently holds the World No. 34 spot.
Alexander Shevchenko vs Alexander Bublik Prediction
Their only previous encounter in 2024 saw Alexander Bublik win in three sets. Each set featured at least nine games, with the total nearing 30 (4:6, 6:3, 6:4). A similarly contested match is on the cards here, and although Alexander Bublik is the seeded player, there is no guarantee of victory.
