The 2024 Open Sud de France, also called the Montpellier 2024 Open, will conclude with a cracking Borna Coric vs Alexander Bublik final. The summit clash between the two maverick characters promises to be an edge-of-the-seat affair on Sunday morning ET.
Coric has reached the final without dropping a set. The fourth seed got a bye into the Round of 16 where he swept aside World No.99 Pedro Martinez before beating Flavio Cobolli in the quarterfinals. He then got off to a blazing start against #1 seed Holger Rune in the semi-finals. The Croat led 6-3, 4-1 when his opponent retired.
2022 champion Bublik, meanwhile, has had a much tougher path. He began his campaign by getting a breadstick from Denis Shapovalov in the Round of 16. However, he saved three match points to progress and face #6 seed Alexander Shevchenko. After defeating his compatriot, he faced Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semi-final, yet again coming from one set down to win in three.
Bublik leads the head-to-head 1-0, defeating Coric at the 2023 Halle Open. However, it was on grass, a strong suit for the Kazakh but the weakest for the latter. Coric has been the most dominant player throughout the 2024 Montpellier Open.
Bublik, on the other hand, plays a risky game that could have repercussions if it doesn’t pay off. Expect the World No.37 to navigate his opponent’s tricks given his great form. However, it won’t be straightforward as Bublik’s big serves and unpredictable gameplay could cause issues. The SportsRush predicts Borna Coric to lift the 2024 Open Sud de France title. The odds too seem to be in Coric’s favor at 1.94 as compared to Bublik’s 2.04, according to BettingExpert.
The Borna Coric vs Alexander Bublik final is scheduled for Sunday, February 4, at 3 p.m. local time (9:00 a.m. ET). Tennis TV will stream the clash while fans in the USA can also watch on Tennis Channel. The Montpellier weather will be favorable, with clear skies and temperatures around 17°C.
Borna Coric vs Alexander Bublik: Form Guide
This will be the first ATP Tour final for Borna Coric since his stunning 2022 Cincinnati Masters victory. His 2023 season ended prematurely after the US Open and he returned only at the 2024 United Cup. He won and lost one tie each for Croatia before the 2024 Australian Open. He, though, went out in the first round, losing to Frances Tiafoe.
Coric sought to rediscover his form by participating in a Challenger tournament. Finishing runner-up, he entered the 2024 Open Sud de France with a 5-3 W/L record, which comes down to 1-2 if only ATP Tour results are considered.
Alexander Bublik kept his momentum up after bagging two ATP titles in 2023, reaching the semi-finals of the Adelaide International. However, he fell to a shock defeat in the first round of the 2024 Australian Open. He lost to Indian qualifier and World No.137 Sumit Nagal in straight sets. He arrived in Montpellier with a 3-2 record.
Apart from the 2024 Open Sud de France trophy, the winner of the Borna Coric vs Alexander Bublik final will receive 250 ATP Ranking Points and $96,011 in prize money.
