New York, September 3, 2026 – This was not a match that will linger long in the memory — at least not for Adrian Mannarino. Alexander Bublik, seeded 15th, dispatched the Frenchman in the second round of the 2026 US Open 6:3, 6:1, 6:1, leaving no doubt as to who was in control on the outdoor hard courts at Flushing Meadows.
Serve as a weapon, return as a safety net
Bublik dominated proceedings with his serve from the opening minute. He held serve throughout without facing a single break point from Mannarino. His first serve landed in at 73 percent, and those who tried to return it found little success: Bublik won 91 percent of points on his first serve. He added 16 aces to bring Mannarino's return game to a complete standstill. The Kazakh struck 28 winners in total and converted 43 percent of his break points — more than enough to wrap up both the second and third sets 6:1.
Mannarino, who had struggled to make his mark on hard courts this season with a record of 15 wins and 27 losses, attempted to disrupt Bublik's rhythm with his flat, awkward baseline game. But the plan never gained traction. The 38-year-old Frenchman won just 35 percent of all points, managed only one service winner, and compounded his difficulties with 29 unforced errors.
An even head-to-head, a one-sided answer
Heading into this match, the two players were level in their head-to-head record: Bublik had won in Doha in 2020, Mannarino in Beijing in 2025 — both meetings on outdoor hard courts. Their third encounter proved far more clear-cut than the statistics had suggested. Mannarino, who had battled through a gruelling five-set win over Thiago Agustin Tirante in the first round, found no antidote to Bublik's serving power. He won just 22 percent of all games and converted zero percent of return games against his opponent's serve.
Bublik carries momentum into the third round
For Bublik, it is a flying start to the American hard-court swing — the 2026 US Open was actually his first hard-court tournament of the summer season. That he performed with such authority regardless is a reflection of his current form: earlier this year he claimed his ninth ATP title at the Hong Kong Open and, in doing so, became the first Kazakh tennis professional to break into the world's top ten. His rise to the elite is bearing fruit — in New York as much as anywhere. The 27-year-old now awaits a new opponent in the third round, having given himself the perfect statement win to set the tone.
