Bublik wins first claycourt title in Gstaad
French Open quarter-finalist Bublik, seeded second in Gstaad, was playing in his first final on clay. He had not dropped a set en route to the final but had to regroup after a patchy second set to seal the win in just over two hours.
"Juan, as I told you at the net, this was not tennis. It was complete torture," Bublik joked at the trophy ceremony.
"This is my sixth title and I have played the greats of the game, but this final I will remember as one of the toughest I ever played."
"I can't wait to come back next year. The beautiful Alps. It's an amazing spot. I'm really happy that I'm standing here as a winner, but even if I'd lost in the first round, the view is amazing anyway."
The victory for the ever-entertaining Bublik was a solid return to form after his first-round Wimbledon exit. It was his second title of the season and the sixth of his career. The world number 34 lifted the ATP 500 grasscourt trophy in Halle last month.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
10 hours ago
- Reuters
O'Connor takes Tour stage as Vingegaard's plans to unseat Pogacar fizzle out
COURCHEVEL, France, July 24 (Reuters) - Ben O'Connor stormed to a sensational victory in Stage 18 of the Tour de France on Thursday, as Jonas Vingegaard's attempt to dethrone Tadej Pogacar imploded in spectacular fashion on the race's most brutal Alpine battleground. The Australian rider, eyes blazing with determination, launched a ferocious solo attack on the fearsome Col de la Loze and never looked back, thundering towards his second career Tour stage win, following his triumph in Tignes in 2021. "I felt much better today just from the start. I was pretty active, and I think probably the point where you realise you could have a shot was the top of the (Col de la) Madeleine when Jonas and Pogi came across, and we're still with them over the top of the summit," said O'Connor. Pogacar defended his crown with ice-cold precision, gaining 11 more seconds on Vingegaard and stretching his overall advantage to a commanding 4 minutes 26 seconds after taking second place. "Today was brutal. Maybe the hardest stage I've ever done in the Tour," admitted a drained Vingegaard after the finish. "We had a big plan, you saw it, but I couldn't take a second on Tadej. The Tour isn't over, still." Visma-Lease a Bike had come to the Alps with an all-in strategy for a stage lined with three monstrous climbs. But what could have been a bold masterstroke unravelled spectacularly. On the slopes of the 19.2 km Col de la Madeleine, Sepp Kuss's searing acceleration left the top contenders chasing shadows. With Matteo Jorgenson already up the road in a breakaway, Vingegaard launched his move 5 km from the summit, but Pogacar followed him with ease. Then came the puzzling twist. After a blistering descent, Vingegaard, who had said he was ready to risk his second place to try to win the Tour, suddenly eased up on the valley floor, inviting rivals to regroup and stripping his team's earlier aggression of any sting. Jorgenson, once the sacrificial pawn, dropped from the break and rejoined the group, only to be spat out again almost instantly. Up ahead, O'Connor sensed blood and struck with ruthless precision, leaving Einer Rubio gasping for air and balance with a savage attack 16 km from the line on the lung-busting 26.4-km Col de la Loze, soaring to 2,304 metres above sea level. Rubio cracked in his wake, and the general classification favourites' hesitation sealed the Australian's day of glory. Behind him, Visma-Lease a Bike flogged the pace but barely clawed back a second. Then, inside the final 2 km, Vingegaard made one last desperate thrust. Pogacar, seated and serene, absorbed it before unleashing a devastating counterpunch in the last 500 metres. In a blur of power, the Slovenian dropped Vingegaard, streaked past Rubio, and snatched a six-second bonus as he continued his march towards a fourth Tour title. German Florian Lipowitz kept his third place despite finishing behind Oscar Onley after his attempt to go solo in the final climb backfired. He still leads the British rider by 22 seconds going into the last mountain stage between Albertville and La Plagne.
The Independent
11 hours ago
- The Independent
Sarina Wiegman ‘not for sale' as FA to fight off offers if England win Euro 2025
The Football Association is determined to fight off any offers for Sarina Wiegman if the Lionesses win Euro 2025, with chief executive Mark Bullingham insisting that England manager is 'not for sale' at any price. Wiegman has now reached five major tournament finals in a row, including the last three with the Lionesses, and has the chance to become the first England manager in history to defend a title when her team take on world champions Spain on Sunday. Wiegman is under contract until the end of the 2027 Women's World Cup and Bullingham, who called the Dutch coach 'special', is confident they can keep her in charge even if there is an increased demand for her services if England win the Euros. Sarina Wiegman led England to Euro 2022 glory and has taken them to another major final (Getty Images) 'It's not hard at all,' Bullingham said. 'We are committed to her until 2027 and she is committed to us. We have a new team coming in for her. We haven't quite started working on the plans for 2027 but I know her focus. Hopefully after success on Sunday, it will shift quite quickly to 2027.' There has been some criticism of England's performances during their run to the Euro 2025 final in Switzerland and, while Bullingham said it was not his place to comment on whether Wiegman is taken for granted, he said it was no accident that she is into another final. 'We have a really special coach and we should all recognise that,' Bullingham said. 'I do think the tournament record is incredible but I also see the work she has done with players and the relationships and connections she builds in camps. It is phenomenal. 'She is just a cool head in the way she transmits that onto the pitch. She looks like the coolest person in the stadium and I have no doubts that helps in critical moments. I can only give my opinion but she is a really special coach and we are lucky to have her.' Wiegman will welcome two new additions to her coaching staff in September, with Janneke Bijl and Arvid Smit replacing assistant Arjan Veurink, who will be taking charge of the Netherlands after Euro 2025. Bullingham said there have yet to have been discussions over extending Wiegman's contract, as it is too soon to look beyond the 2027 World Cup, and responded to a suggestion that she should be under consideration for the England men's job after Thomas Tuchel. 'My answer is the same now as it was in 2023,' Bullingham said. 'The starting point is it is almost disrespectful to assume the men's job is more senior to the women's. That is not the way we view it. 'I said two years ago Sarina could do any job in football, she is an amazing talent and we are delighted to have her running the women's team through to 2027.'
BBC News
11 hours ago
- BBC News
Pogacar closes in on victory as O'Connor wins stage 18
Tadej Pogacar took a huge step towards winning his fourth Tour de France by racing clear of rival Jonas Vingegaard on the mighty Col de la Loze, as Ben O'Connor claimed victory on stage 26, powered clear of his closest rival in the final 500 metres to extend his lead over two-time champion Vingegaard to four minutes and 26 seconds with just three stages crossed the line one minute and 45 seconds behind Australian O'Connor, who went solo with 16km was third over the line, followed closely by Britain's Oscar Onley - now just 22 seconds behind Florian Lipowitz in the final general classification podium place following an outstanding queen stage of this year's race featured three iconic climbs, forcing riders to overcome more than 5,500m of elevation in 171.5km of three ascents came under the hors categorie - the race's toughest mountains - with the Col du Glandon and Col de la Madeleine preceding the Col de la 2,304m above sea level it represented the highest point of this year's race - and likely confirmation of Pogacar's latest triumph. More to follow.
