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Federer could have a new doubles partner in Bublik

The Swiss was put on the spot by the 19-year-old from Kazakhstan.

ByNina Pantic

Published Mar 09, 2017

You may not know the name Alexander Bublik, but he could very well appear alongside Roger Federer on a doubles court. The Russian-born Bublik put Federer on the spot in Indian Wells, and refused to accept "no" for an answer.

He started off by asking innocent questions about Federer's perfectly styled hair, before revealing his true intentions: a doubles partnership. The teen then demanded to play on the deuce side, and got a "maybe" from the 18-time Grand Slam champion.

Just 19, Bublik rose more than 750 ranking spots in 2016, and now sits at No. 138 after winning his maiden ATP Challenger title last month. Off the court, he first picked up some fame for his interviewing skills when he chatted with Rafael Nadal impersonator Elliot Loney at the Australian Open.

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The odds of Federer actually appearing on a doubles court are slim as he admitted his doubles career is "basically over," but you've got to appreciate Bublik's bravery.

Bublik fell in the final round of qualifying in Indian Wells, while Federer is in the "group of death" quarter alongside Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Nick Kyrgios and Alexander Zverev, to name a few.