Montpellier (France), Feb 7 (AP) Alexander Bublik upset the odds by beating third-ranked Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-3 in the Open Sud de France final for his first career title.

In doing so the 24-year-old Kazakhstani stopped the 2020 U.S. Open runner-up Zverev from winning his 20th career title on Sunday.

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Bublik had lost his four previous finals but proved too strong.

“I had four finals and the fifth final I have won against a great player,” Bublik said.

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“It is great. All my game (came) together. I was serving well and returned well and kept my nerve. When I had my chances, I used them.”

He had eight aces and won 86% of points on his first serve against the big-serving Zverev, who lost to the 35th-ranked Bublik in their previous meeting on the same indoor hard surface in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

The imposing Zverev, who won here in Montpellier five years ago, is now 19-10 in career finals. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)