Bublik, ranked 11th in the world, claimed his ninth career title and first in the SAR, winning the final 7-6, 6-3 in one hour and 38 minutes.
The triumph was an emotional moment for the Kazakh, who’s set to move into the world’s top 10 for the first time in his career.
“It feels great, I’m overwhelmed a bit,” Bublik said after his win.
“You never know how many titles you’re going to win, and I always say after each one that if it’s the last one then I have to be really happy.
“When you win something… and everyone’s playing well, it’s always a gift.
“So for me to win another one [title] and to achieve the top 10 here [in Hong Kong], it’s very special.”
Spectators packed Centre Court for the tournament final, the first time in 30 years that featured the top two seeds.
Both came out the gate swinging from the onset, dazzling the crowd with blistering serves and aces.
The opening set was a back-and-forth battle that went to a decisive tiebreaker, and it was Bublik who prevailed, outlasting the Italian top seed 7-2 to wrap up the set in 47 minutes.
The second set was a more lopsided affair, with the Kazakh capitalising on a slew of errors from Musetti to claim the title.
The victory improved Bublik’s head-to-head record against Musetti to 3-1, which also denied the Italian of a third career crown.
The Hong Kong Open winner noted that while a maiden trophy in the SAR meant a lot, the goal now remains looking ahead to the upcoming season.
“Now we need to re-settle… because the goal for this season was to get into the top 10 until Roland-Garros and defend big points,” Bublik said.
“And we achieved that in the first week, so now it’s time to celebrate, relax and think what the next feasible goal in my career is.”
