Alexander Bublik Wins on Debut at BOCHKTO 2026, Shang Upsets Sonego, Seeds Khachanov and Muller Fall

Alexander Bublik eased past Botic van de Zandschulp in a stunning debut at the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open ('BOCHKTO') 2026. The second seed showed no sign of jetlag having only arrived in Hong Kong on Tuesday, and put together a tidy performance to dispose of the Dutchman, 6-3, 6-3.

The tennis athlete Alexander Bublik serves his way to victory against Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in his Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open debut, Photo source: BOCHKTO

After a mental and physical reset in the first half of 2025, the 28-year-old returned to the tour to win four titles, reached his first ever quarterfinals at the French Open, and the fourth round at the US Open. These impressive results propelled Bublik to a career high ranking of no. 11 in the world.

Alexander Bublik, Photo source: BOCHKTO

The Kazakhstani said: "I felt relaxed. It is always a challenge at the start of the season as you need to get used to new conditions. I was practising indoors for a month before coming here, but I felt great on the court today. It is one of the fastest I have played on the tour, but the atmosphere is great. The conditions are fine for me, as I was coming from -20C. I like playing in Hong Kong, I like this city.”

Jerry Shang Juncheng is all smiles after beating no. 6 seed Lorenzo Sonego to reach the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open 2026 quarterfinals, Photo source: BOCHKTO

15th National Games silver medallist Jerry Shang Juncheng followed Coleman Wong's heroics with a confident win over no. 5 seed Lorenzo Sonego to reach the quarterfinals. The 20-year-old's speed and all round game was too much for Sonego as he dismantled the Italian, 6-3, 6-4. Shang will face Bublik next in.

Shang's win makes it two Chinese players in the quarterfinals for the first time at BOCHKTO, and first time since the 2024 Hangzhou Open.

Jerry Shang Juncheng stretches for a forehand during his second round match at the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open 2026 against Lorenzo Sonego, Photo source: BOCHKTO

Shang commented: “Three times I have played here and I have played well each time. I am trying to go for more and play better tennis. Overall, the confidence is coming back and I am playing more freely and relaxed. Lorenzo plays amazing tennis, he was on the verge of the top 20 in the world, so this was a good win for me. I am playing positively, and that's what I like. I am happy to play at Victoria Park in front of these amazing fans. The conditions have been tough, sometimes hot, sometimes freezing, but I am healthy, and that's the main thing.”

Lorenzo Sonego was outclassed by Jerry Shang Juncheng in their second round match at the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open 2026, Photo source: BOCHKTO

Karen Khachanov loses his first match at the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open 2026, falling to American Michael Mmoh. Photo source: BOCHKTO

Michael Mmoh hits a forehand volley on his way to a straight sets victory over no. 4 seed Karen Khachanov, Photo source: BOCHKTO

Three seeds fell today. Following Sonego's defeat by Shang, Karen Khachanov, the no. 4 seed, lost to giant killing qualifier Michael Mmoh 7-6(2), 7-6(4) in their last 16 match. The American beat the no. 1 and 6 seeds in qualifying to make the main draw, and continued his run with a win over Alejandro Tabilo in the first round proper. With a win over Khachanov, Mmoh earns the right to play Giron for a place in the last four.

Alexandre Muller returns a backhand against Macros Giron during his second round match at the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open. Photo source: BOCHKTO

No. 7 seed Alexandre Muller was also sent packing. The defending champion was eliminated by American Macros Giron 6-4, 7-6(4) on Court One.

Coleman Wong Chak-lam & Gabriel Diallo upset no. 2 seeds in the quarterfinals at the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open 2026. Photo source: BOCHKTO

Wong's busy schedule at BОСНКТО 2026 continued today as he returned to the court for a doubles quarterfinals match with the player he beat in singles yesterday, Gabriel Diallo. The pair did not show any sign of weariness from their gruelling two-hour-and-twenty-nine-minute battle, and grinded out a gutsy win over second seeds Constantin Frantzen and Robin Haase 7-6(4), 6-7(5), (10-8).

All four quarterfinals will take place tomorrow, Friday 9 January. Wong takes on top seed Lorenzo Musetti in the day's opening match at 1:30pm as he looks for his first ATP Tour semifinal. The pair met at BOCHKTO two years ago with the Italian coming through in two tough sets, 6-4, 7-5. Rublev who beat 15th National Games Men's Singles Champion Wu Yibing will be next on to play Nuno Borges. The Portuguese no. 1 ended the run of former world no. 3 and 2014 US Open Champion Marin Cilic in the previous round. The all-American clash between Giron and Mmoh will be the last match on Centre Court tomorrow, after Shang plays Bublik that starts at 6pm.

The Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open 2026 is proud of being an “M” Mark event that helps enhance the image of Hong Kong as Asia's sports event capital. The “M” Mark status is awarded by the Major Sports Events Committee symbolizing intense, spectacular and signature events in the territory sports calendar.

With total prize money exceeding US$780,000, BOCHKΤΟ 2026 takes place at the iconic Victoria Park Tennis Centre Court from today to 11 January. Tickets are on sale via Ticketflap website with prices ranging from HK$370 to HK$1,610

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — This rematch between the Australian Open finalists was lopsided, and Aryna Sabalenka flipped the outcome with a straight-sets win over Madison Keys.

Top-ranked Sabalenka broke Keys' in five straight service games on the way to a 6-3, 6-3 win in 1 1/2 hours Friday to reach the semifinals of the Brisbane International, a tuneup event for the Australian Open which begins Jan. 18.

“I didn’t really have the throwback to the Australian Open last year, to be honest," Sabalenka said. "I know that I lost in Australia against her and it's a big motivation, of course, to go out and get the win.

"But I always look into the (next) match as like a new match against a new player. That's my approach."

The defending Brisbane champion will next take on 11th-seeded Karolina Muchova, who had a 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 win over Elena Rybakina to end a 13-match streak for the No. 3 seed. Fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula had a 6-3, 7-6 (3) quarterfinal win over No. 10 Liudmila Samsonova and will next play No. 16 Marta Kostyuk, who beat sixth-seeded Mirra Andreeva 7-6 (7), 6-3.

Muchova has the better of the career head-to-head meetings against WTA Finals champion Rybakina. She also has a 3-1 record against No. 1 Sabalenka.

“Doesn’t matter if I’m the one who is leading head-to-head or I’m the one who is losing — I don’t care,” Sabalenka said, adding that her focus is to control the kinds of emotions that derailed her sometimes when she was younger.

“In the past, I could lose a match because I’d be so frustrated. Now I’m just trying to move on like, ‘OK, whatever,'” she said. “I feel like it’s been working well for me.”

Keys will head to Adelaide aiming to retain the title there and then hope to repeat the sequence from 2025, when she went on to win her first Grand Slam title two weeks later in Melbourne.

“Hopefully I can gain and then just keep a lot of momentum going,” she said. “Hopefully there is many more firsts to come.”

On a warm Friday afternoon on Pat Rafter Arena, Sabalenka got the first service break in the seventh game and then took six of the next seven games. Keys broke serve to open the second set in the only interruption in that sequence.

The 30-year-old American faced immense pressure on her second serve, finishing the match with eight double-faults and winning just 33% of points on her second serve.

Keys saved two match points in the eighth game of the second set but it barely slowed down Sabalenka, who served out at love.

Sabalenka has two straight-set wins over Keys — the other was 6-0, 6-1 at Indian Wells — since that loss at Melbourne Park almost 12 months ago. She also reached the French Open final, won the U.S. Open and finished the competitive season with a runner-up finish at the WTA Finals.

Earlier at the Brisbane tournament, she described the season schedule as “insane” and said she’ll risk fines in order to skip tournaments to avoid injuries or burnout. Still, she wants as much competition as possible before the season's first major.

“I’m just trying to get some matches, get some wins,” she said, "and get the rhythm going again.”

In the men's tournament, top-seeded Daniil Medvedev came from a set down to beat Kamil Majchrzak 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2 and advance to the semifinals.

“I managed to stay composed and hit some great shots to win the match,” Medvedev said.

Medvedev will face Alex Michelsen in the semis.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Aryna Sabalenka serves against Nick Kyrgios during their Battle of the Sexes tennis match, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday Dec. 28, 2025. (Amr Alfiky/Pool Photo via AP)