Alexander Bublik reveals how tinted glasses became the biggest fashion trend in pro tennis

A few months ago at the BNP Paribas Open, it seemed as if everyone from Andrey Rublev to Novak Djokovic to Elena Rybakina was seen wearing the same glasses with colorful lenses by Ra Optics.

The trend even became Baseline’s Look of the Week in Indian Wells, but by now the look has become a fixture among top players on the ATP and WTA Tours. And thanks to Alexander Bublik, we know exactly how the latest in eyewear took over tennis.

The No. 17 seed sat down with Tennis Channel after a rollercoaster third-round win over Ben Shelton, where he chatted about his coaching situation—Artem Suprunov will apparently stay home until Roland Garros—his Top 10 aspirations (“I don’t care”), and of course, why he prefers a rose-colored view.

“I used to wear the orange lenses (before) sleep for three years already, but not this particular brand,” Bublik told Prakash Amritraj at the desk.

“I tried these on and I really enjoyed it, because it helps you be more focused. It stops the blue light, light from the phone, so it gives you maybe 10 or 15 (energy) percent back. At least, I want to believe that…”

Bublik was wearing a pair of gold-hued Clyde “Daylight” glasses, which reportedly filter out 95 percent of blue light from fluorescent bulbs, LEDs, and screens in order to help reduce eye strain and fatigue.

WATCH: Alexander Bublik sits down with Tennis Channel following his third round victory at the 2024 Mutua Madrid Open.

He also revealed that the tinted glasses trend started thanks to Rublev, who first wore his own colorful lenses during the Australian Open and treated brand founder Matt Maruca to watch a match from his box. It seems like word of mouth traveled quickly, because by Indian Wells and Miami players from both tours were also suddenly rocking the look—including Bublik, who said he’d been scoping out the style for a while.

“I was making fun of Sascha (Zverev) for maybe one or two years because he was wearing (glasses) inside. I was like, Is it sunny? He’s like, ugh,” Bublik recalled. “I was bothering him, like, what is this?

“Then Rublev started wearing them, and then I asked Andrey and he was much nicer to me. He answered me, because I was not bothering him for one year, so then I said OK, let me try it.”

Bublik will take every bit of that extra "10 or 15 percent" recovery help he can get as he faces a big test in the next round against former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev, last year’s champion in Rome.

While Bublik is no fan of clay courts and determined to keep expectations low on the surface, the No. 17 seed Kazakh has already put together his best run in Madrid in years. On Monday, the Montpellier champion toppled No. 14 seed Shelton in a roller-coaster 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4 for his first Top 20 win on clay of the year, backing up his 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 comeback against Roberto Carballes Baena to move into the fourth round at the Madrid Open for the first time in three years.

“We’ll see, I mean, you never know,” Bublik said of the matchup. “With me, you never know what’s going to happen.”