A Bublik-Fonseca Showdown in the Phoenix Challenger Final

While the stars of the ATP Tour are still at Indian Wells or preparing for the Miami tournament as part of the Sunshine Double, some members of the top 100 have decided to head to Arizona before the start of the Florida event.

The Phoenix Challenger once again attracted top talent this year, and the semifinals promised to be exciting. Top seed Nuno Borges faced Alexander Bublik. The Portuguese player, ranked 36th in the world and a two-time defending champion, was aiming for a third consecutive final but was halted in his tracks.

Against the ever-unpredictable Kazakh player, Borges was defeated in straight sets by Bublik (6-3, 6-4). After his victories against Vukic, Hijikata, and Moutet (each time in three sets), Bublik, currently ranked 82nd, this time got the job done in two sets.

In the final, Bublik will face João Fonseca. In a clash of generations, the 18-year-old Brazilian left no hope for Kei Nishikori (6-3, 6-3) and continues his excellent start to the season, having won his first Grand Slam match at the Australian Open and his first ATP Tour title in Buenos Aires last month.