Alexander Bublik reacts as former top-40 player announces plans to retire from tennis

Kukushkin’s fellow Kazakhstani, Alexander Bublik, reacted to his announcement on social media.

Alexander Bublik says he will join retiring Mikhail Kukushkin at the Astana Open later this year

Hearing that Kukushkin will play in Astana later this year, Bublik replied to his Instagram post.

“Apparently I’ll have to come too,” he said.

Bublik wasn’t the only ATP pro to react.

“An amazing career, Kuku, so much to be proud of,” said Hamad Medjedovic.

“Congrats on your amazing career legend,” added Mark Lajal.

Players on tour will miss Kukushkin, and he will certainly miss tennis.

“Sometimes there comes a moment when you need to stop, look back, and simply say: ‘Thank you.’ Today, I want to share with you a difficult decision. After many years on the professional tennis tour, I have decided to bring my playing career to an end,” said Kukushkin.

“My final tournament will take place in October this year, at the Almaty Open ATP 250.

“To be honest, it’s hard to find the right words. Tennis has never been just a job or a sport for me. It has been my life. Since childhood, it has taught me how to dream, how to fight, how to deal with defeat, how to appreciate victory, and how to never give up.

“Over the years, I have experienced it all: unforgettable highs and painful lows, injuries and comebacks, great victories and tough losses. But every moment of this journey has helped shape the person I am today. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my family, who have always been by my side, to my coaches, my team, my friends, my partners, and, of course, to the fans.

“Your support gave me strength even during the most difficult times. I will never forget the feeling of walking onto the court, the atmosphere of the stadiums, and hearing your voices cheering me on around the world.

“There is still some time before October. A few more tournaments, practices, emotions, and memories to create.

“And when I step onto the court for the final match of my career, I will do so with the same passion, determination, and love for the game that I had as a little boy with a big dream.

“Thank you, tennis, for everything. And thank you to each and every one of you for being part of this incredible journey. See you in October, Mikhail Kukushkin.”

Kukushkin’s passion for tennis can be seen clearly by the number of matches he’s played this year.

At 38, Kukushkin has played 37 matches in 2026, all at the Challenger level.

Mikhail Kukushkin in 2026

And he’s not losing every week, either; in fact, Kukushkin has a positive 22-15 record for the season.

The world number 303 is playing better than his ranking would suggest, sitting 238th in the ‘Live ATP Race’.

If Kukushkin is going out, he’s going out fighting!

Mikhail Kukushkin’s career highlights

Kukushkin is still fighting hard at 38, but just how good was he during his prime?

The Kazakhstani reached a career-high ranking of 39th and won one ATP title, at the 2010 St. Petersburg Open.

And, he reached the fourth round of the Australian Open and Wimbledon, winning 28 Grand Slam matches.

Kukushkin picked up four wins over top-10 opponents, defeating some of the world’s best players during his time on tour.

• 1. 2010 St. Petersburg Open final vs #9 Mikhail Youzhny, 6-3, 7-6
• 2. 2014 Swiss Indoors first round vs #4 Stan Wawrinka, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3
• 3. 2018 Vienna Open first round vs #10 Grigor Dimitrov, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
• 4. 2019 US Open first round vs #10 Roberto Bautista Agut, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3

The 38-year-old also has 17 Challenger titles to his name, winning his first and last titles 17 years apart.

Kukushkin never won a Grand Slam or broke into the world’s top 50, but he can be more than proud of his achievements, enjoying a lengthy and successful tennis career.

We look forward to the last few months of his career and wish him the best for his farewell at the 2026 Astana Open.