Bublik hits 35 aces in Chengdu comeback win over Dimitrov

Alexander Bublik showed he has more than trick shots and an uncanny style up his sleeve on Friday in his three-set victory over fourth seed Grigor Dimitrov in the Chengdu quarterfinals.

Bublik fired 35 aces to 15 double faults, and hit his spots when it counted most, saving two match points in a second set tiebreaker before toppling the Bulgarian, 5-7, 7-6 (9), 7-6 (3), in two hours and 32 minutes. Dimitrov erased a 4-1 deficit to eventually force a final set tiebreaker, where he fell behind 5-0 and was unable to mount another comeback.

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With Dimitrov’s loss, the highest four seeds all failed to reach the semifinal stage at the ATP 250 tournament. Bublik is bidding to win his first ATP title, having made his final debut earlier this season in a defeat to John Isner at Newport. He is currently ranked two spots off his career-high mark of No. 69 and will meet lucky loser Lloyd Harris in the last four.

Harris hit 27 aces of his own in advancing past Joao Sousa, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4. The South African is looking to move through to his first tour-level final.