”It’s our fault”: Alexander Bublik calls out top players following surprise Shanghai final

Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech delivered the performances of their lives at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, turning a family dream into an unforgettable reality. The cousins—unexpected finalists at the ATP Masters 1000 event—captivated fans with a feel-good story that saw world No. 204 Vacherot pull off a stunning title run, culminating in a win over No. 54 Rinderknech.

Their unlikely success was a welcome twist at a Masters 1000 event marked by fatigue, high-profile withdrawals, and early upsets.

Read More: Valentin Vacherot wins Shanghai cousins final to become Monaco's first ATP singles champion

For world No. 16 Alexander Bublik, Vacherot’s triumph wasn’t a fairy tale—it was a wake-up call for the rest of the field.

“I guess, if he’s able to win a Masters then it’s our fault. All of us,” Bublik told ATP Media ahead of the Erste Bank Open in Vienna.

Bublik was one of Vacherot’s first victims in Shanghai. The Monegasque qualifier bounced the No. 14 seed in the second round, rallying from a set down to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

From there, Vacherot went on a tear, toppling No. 20 Tomas Machac, No. 27 Tallon Griekspoor, No. 10 Holger Rune, and finally four-time Shanghai champion and world No. 4 Novak Djokovic to reach the final. He sealed the dream run by defeating his cousin, Rinderknech, in what became the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 final in ATP history.

Read More: All the feels: Arthur Rinderknech, Valentin Vacherot get tears flowing in emotional Shanghai ceremony

But despite the remarkable storyline, Shanghai proved to be a major missed opportunity for the rest of the field. World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz withdrew before the tournament due to an ankle injury, while No. 2 Jannik Sinner retired in the third round with leg cramps.

“We failed, we didn’t get ready enough for the Masters—he cracked, I don’t know how many Top 20 players and two Top 10,” Bublik said of Vacherot. “He won a Masters. And on the other side is Arthur (Rinderknech), killing everyone."

“So I guess that’s the question,” he continued. “Why are we in Shanghai at the end of the season—half of us have won a lot of titles, half of us maybe won a couple of Slams or Masters—and we’re not able to stop those two guys?

“That’s the question to us, I guess. The level once Carlos and Jannik are not there… This is what’s happening.”

Bublik’s comments reflect a growing narrative: outside of Alcaraz and Sinner, consistent elite-level challengers are hard to come by. The pair have split the last eight Grand Slams and each claimed the No. 1 ranking over the past two seasons. Sinner bagged three Masters 1000 titles in 2024; Alcaraz matched that figure this year.

Read More: Generational Rivalry: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner evenly split four majors in back-to-back seasons

With only one Masters 1000 event left this season—the Rolex Paris Masters—the pressure is on for the rest of the ATP Tour to respond.

In the meantime, Bublik is aiming to reset in Vienna, where he's seeded No. 8 at the ATP 500-level event. After taking down Alejandro Tabilo in his opener, he now faces Francisco Cerundolo on Thursday.