Kazakh tennis star Alexander Bublik sparked controversy when he refused to shake hands with his opponent, Alexei Popyrin, after sealing a straight-set victory at the Paris Masters. As questions mounted over the incident, Bublik shared his perspective, pointing to something he disliked about the Aussie’s conduct earlier in the match.
Bublik looked in command and maintained his rhythm throughout the match. He took control early, clinching the first set 6-4, and carried the same dominance into the second, winning 6-3 to advance to the second round of the Masters 1000 event.
Alexander Bublik Opens Up on Snubbing Alexei Popyrin During Post-Match Handshake at Paris Masters
However, the 28-year-old sparked tension moments after the match ended, heading straight to greet the umpire while skipping the customary handshake with Popyrin. He then walked to the center of the court to acknowledge the crowd.
The cause of friction occurred in the second set’s subtle yet significant moment. Popyrin, having earned a 2-0 lead with an early break, found himself on a break point again when two consecutive net cords favored him and helped him secure the rally. Usually, players offer a hand or nod in apology, but Popyrin chose instead to celebrate with a clenched fist, much to Bublik’s dislike.
Sans 🤝
Alexander Bublik tops Alexei Popyrin 6-4 6-3 to reach round two in Paris. #RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/aWxlHdytR9
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 27, 2025
Many believed that the incident triggered Bublik’s frustration, and he later confirmed it. The World No. 16 defended his refusal to shake hands, saying Popyrin broke tennis etiquette by celebrating two net cords without apologizing. He argued there’s a mutual code of respect, and if one player ignores it, the other isn’t obliged to follow it either.
“Well, precisely because if someone hangs two ropes and doesn’t apologize, but celebrates as if they’ve won something… I just don’t see anything wrong with that. I think any reasonable person would have done the same in my place, that is, if I had ever done the same,” he said after the match.
“They can celebrate and then apologize. I’m not the kind of person to cling to that, but they apologize for it. There’s a code, there’s some kind of etiquette. If someone doesn’t adhere to it, why should I adhere to another?” He added.
Notably, tensions between Popyrin and Bublik had surfaced earlier as well during the Masters 1000 event in Madrid, where the two shared a strained handshake and a brief exchange at the net.
Bublik seemed flawless from the outset, leaving little room for resistance. The 13th seed proved dominant on serves, hammering 13 aces to Popyrin’s three and winning 89% of his first-serve points. He converted three of five break chances. Backed by 28 winners against just eight unforced errors, Bublik took control of the contest to cruise into the next round.
