Alexander Bublik has extended his remarkable clay-court form with a victory at the Kitzbuhel tournament, securing his third title of the year and second in consecutive weeks. Riding an impressive eight-match winning streak, Bublik defeated Arthur Cazaux in the final, winning 6-4, 6-3. This marked a repeat encounter after their clash just days earlier in Gstaad, where Bublik also emerged victorious.

The top seed’s performance was marked by resilience, saving four of five break points to close out the match. Reflecting on the challenging conditions and schedule, Bublik remarked, “I can’t believe I did it as it was probably one of the toughest weeks in my life because coming from Gstaad, playing here, different conditions and raining. I used the few chances I had and I am happy to have won.”

This season, Bublik has demonstrated consistent excellence, owning a perfect 3-0 record in tour-level finals. Along with back-to-back clay titles in Gstaad and Kitzbuhel, he also claimed the Halle championship in June by defeating Daniil Medvedev. Notably, Bublik reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, which has helped him climb significantly in the rankings—from outside the Top 80 in March to now projected inside the Top 25.

Looking ahead, Bublik is slated to compete next at the Cincinnati Open after withdrawing from the Toronto Masters 1000 event. His recent surge positions him as a player to watch during the North American hard-court season and bolsters his prospects of being seeded at the US Open.

Lukas Klein ended an 18-month title drought by winning the 32nd Internazionali di Tennis San Marino Open, an ATP Challenger 125 event. The 27-year-old Slovak dominated the clay courts, defeating Croatia’s Dino Prizmic 6-3, 6-4 in the final, completing the match in 88 minutes. This victory marked Klein’s fourth Challenger title and his first since late 2023 in Ortisei, Italy.

Klein impressed a crowd that included San Marino’s officials Denise Bronzetti and Italo Righi, with his powerful and steady game. On his path to the trophy, he overcame top-seeded Valentin Royer, seventh seed Lukas Neumayer, and local contender Matteo Gigante. In the final, despite a strong start from 20-year-old Next Gen player Prizmic, Klein quickly regained control with strategic low and fast groundstrokes, winning the opening set 6-3.

In the second set, Klein broke early and maintained his composure even when Prizmic threatened at 3-4. The Slovak closed out the match efficiently. The triumph earned him 125 ATP points and lifted him 40 positions to world No. 147.

Reflecting on the win, Klein said: “It’s been a fantastic week! The atmosphere on court was amazing, thanks to all the fans. This title means a lot. San Marino will always have a place in my heart. I hope I can come back next year!”

Meanwhile, Daniel Mérida claimed his first ATP Challenger title at the Open Ciudad de Pozoblanco Covap in Spain. The 21-year-old Spaniard beat China’s Fajing Sun 6-3, 6-4 in 86 minutes, garnering 75 ATP points and a spot in the US Open qualifying draw. Mérida’s win was the first Spanish success at this Andalusian event since 2012.

Mérida started the match with a break but was tested immediately as the contest featured multiple breaks and intense rallies. He secured the first set with a pivotal backhand winner and held firm in the second to close out the victory with an inside-out forehand.

Other notable Challenger winners last week include Jan Choinski, who claimed the Dutch Open title in Bunschoten, Netherlands, and August Holmgren, who defeated Liam Draxl for the Granby National Bank Championships in Canada. The ATP Challenger Tour continues with several tournaments this week, featuring rising stars and established players across Europe and North America.

At the age of 31, German tennis player Christoph Negritu is experiencing the peak of his career in both singles and doubles, thanks in large part to the ATP Challenger Tour and his dedication on and off the court. Born in Dinkelsbühl, Bavaria, Negritu has achieved career-best rankings this year, climbing to World No. 273 in singles and World No. 115 in doubles.

Negritu’s approach balances both disciplines. “The focus is on both,” he explained during the BRAWO Open in Braunschweig. “In the past, I was more focused on doubles because I had the better ranking there. But the plan was always to never fully drop singles.”

His doubles success has been particularly notable, especially with his long-time partner Alexander Merino from Peru. Together, they have won four ATP Challenger titles, including two in 2025 on Tenerife and in Barletta, Italy. Negritu credits their partnership to a deep mental connection: “What makes us strong is our mental stability. We don’t give up easily and we always give everything. We’ve played together for a long time, and that builds a strong bond.”

Their collaboration began in 2015 at ITF Futures tournaments in Tunisia, and despite setbacks like injuries and periodic splits on tour, they have been a full-time team for two years, becoming “inseparable.” Negritu also highlighted the support they provide each other off the court: “Alexander supports me in singles, watches my matches, and then we play doubles together. That unites us and really helps in the tough moments, when you feel you’re playing not just with but for each other.”

Negritu’s rise in singles has been fueled by perseverance through smaller events after a ranking dip. “In 2024 we fought our way back up through the Futures. Our tennis kept improving, and then it clicked at the Challenger level in singles as well. I even made the final in Japan.” This country holds special importance for Negritu, who is a passionate fan of Japanese culture, baseball star Shohei Ohtani, and manga. “It’s crazy that with my job I can live out dreams like traveling to Japan,” he said. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Off the court, Negritu combines his tennis career with intellectual curiosity, having studied philosophy at the University of Tübingen. “After turning pro, it was a good balance to have something outside tennis. I was interested in philosophy, but the main focus always remained tennis. It had to be Plan A so that I could give 110 percent at every tournament.”

Moreover, Negritu stands out linguistically. Fluent in five languages—German, English, French, Romanian, and increasingly Spanish—he credits Merino for much of his language learning progress: “Alexander helped me a lot, and I also taught myself. I can understand conversations pretty well now. Speaking is still a bit hard, but it’s getting better day by day, and I’d definitely survive in Spain.”

His tennis roots trace back to an early age, inspired by his mother, a former top-division player. “I hit my first balls when I was two years old. I played my first tournaments at five. But my parents never pressured me. I just enjoyed it.”

Now training at the TWA Academy in Stuttgart since late 2023, Negritu considers this a pivotal move: “Since I started training there, things have been going really well. The guys must be doing something right. It was important for me to find a base where I could train and feel comfortable.”