Second set in the Metz final. Bublik, the Kazakh, is 6-7, 1-3 behind. With his own serve it’s now 30:40, he has to fend off the next breakball. And he tries to do this with an extremely unusual means. After Sonego’s return, he has the whole field open and only has to finish to make his debut. In fact, Bublik apparently throws his nerves away, turns the racquet 180 degrees so that he holds the racquet head (!) with both hands and plays the ball over the net with his grip (!). So Sonego comes back into play and makes the point. Completely unmotivated, Bublik’s action. The audience boos, whistles, the TV commentators don’t believe what they saw. “No way,” the men moan on Tennis TV. And Bublik? Make a fuss out of it, laugh scornfully.
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