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Kazakh tennis player Alexander Bublik exited Madrid in the first round on Tuesday but he didn't seem to be too disappointed or frustrated with the loss. Bublik, ranked at No. 33 in the world, suffered a straight-set defeat in the Madrid first round as Miomir Kecmanovic beat the Kazakh 6-4 7-5.
After the match, Bublik had a message that left Kecmanovic was a bit off guard. "I don't imagine how much I hate this surface and how happy I am to go home," Bublik told Kecmanovic at the net, per Jose Morgado.
Just before the start of Madrid, Bublik stated that he doesn't like anything about clay but he plays on the surface because he needs to earn money.Alexander Bublik to Kecmanovic at the net.
"I don't imagine how much I hate this surface and how happy I am to go home" — José Morgado (@josemorgado) May 3, 2022
"Yes, I don't like clay courts. I don't like anything about it. But I will play in Madrid, Rome and at the French Open," Bublik told Eurosport Deutschland. "I have to earn money. I play for that. In addition, events like Madrid are mandatory, you have to play.
I'm a professional and I have no choice."
Bublik ousted by Kecmanovic
Kecmanovic started putting pressure on Bublik's serve early on but the Kazakh saved two break points in the third game and one more break points in the fifth game.
After missing out on break points in two consecutive game, Kecmanovic didn't make the same mistake in the seventh game as he broke Bublik for a 4-3 lead. Bublik then held on to his serve the rest of the set to win the opener.
In the second set, no break points were seen until the 11th game - when Kecmanovic broke Bublik to take a 6-5 lead. After claiming the first break of the second set, Kecmanovic had no problems serving out for the match in the following game.
Bublik has now lost his last three matches on clay. After beating Stan Wawrinka in the Monte Carlo first round, Bublik retired without a proper reason in the second round versus Pablo Carreno Busta. Bublik then lost his openers in Barcelona and Madrid.