Alexander Bublik enjoyed a career-best Grand Slam result in Paris this fortnight, reaching the quarter-final. The world No. 62 stunned top-10 players Jack Draper and before falling to top seed Jannik Sinner in the last eight. Despite breaking new ground at the Majors, Bublik admitted he wasn't dreaming of being a champion.

The Kazakh has been honest about his approach to tennis and his desire to maintain a work-life balance. After his first Major quarter-final run, Bublik doubled down and made a frank assessment of his goals.

The 27-year-old has been ranked as high as No. 17 in the world, but after dropping out of the top 50 earlier this year, he enjoyed a before locking in and grinding it out at some Challenger events to rebuild his ranking.

The hard work has paid off. Bublik, who admittedly never loved the clay, in the second round of the French Open before to reach his biggest quarter-final yet.

After suffering a one-sided 6-1 7-5 6-0 defeat to Sinner on Wednesday, the Kazakh was asked whether his run motivated him to take a different approach, but he admitted he "never wanted" to win a Major and was happy to keep ticking along.

"Why change it if things are working? This is very simple for me. I never had the goals to be a Grand Slam champion," he stated.

"I never had this. I don't think I ever had a thought that that's like - it's not like about possible or impossible. I never wanted that.

"Tennis for me is a journey. Tennis for me is a part of life, an important part of life, but quarterfinal here, it's like achievements on the wall, like a 250 won, 500 won, different surfaces. That's another tick in the box."

There are still some smaller milestones Bublik would like to reach. But he's happy to remain a consistent top-50 player without capturing one of the sport's biggest trophies.

He added: "If, by the end of my career, I would have - let's say, now I have one quarter-final. I have three to go. That will be fun, but if not, it's okay, I have four rounds.

"I have this little steps that I would like to achieve, like maybe a Masters win or Masters final, to have these kind of things.

"So when I'm gonna look back in the 15 or 20 years that I have spent on tour, I'm going to say, 'Okay, with what I have done with my body, with my tennis, what did I achieve?' This is how I'm going to approach that.

"As long as things are working, and if, for the next 10 years I will be a top-50, 60 player in the world, that's totally fine for me."

The Kazakh has already ticked one of those boxes with his French Open run as he will return to the world's top 50 at the conclusion of the tournament. But he still has one eye on life after tennis.

"Will I put my life and health on the line to have a 'might'? Maybe? No. But I will continue my path. I will work my way, because I still practice, guys," he said after beating Draper.

"Don't worry, I'm not hitting 30 minutes a day. I still do the exact minimum and maximum at the same time in order to be the player I am, to be in the position I am, and I will continue with this path, because I think I prioritise tennis and the life in equal ways.

"So for me it's a 50/50 relationship. So it's not like tennis takes 90, and then it's okay. If I can't walk at the age of 40, it's okay. No, it's not. So for me it's finding the balance."