Just as in the French capital in May, when the Australian was left dumbstruck by a loss from two sets up against the enigmatic Kazakh, de Minaur surrendered control again in their quarter-final clash on Friday to succumb 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 7-5.
The Australian No.1 will doubtless be haunted by a double fault - a horror ninth in all - in the penultimate game that gifted Bublik his second and decisive break of the match as he reached a Masters semi-final for the first time in his maverick career.
For de Minaur, though, it must have felt a real anti-climax a day after he had qualified for the end-of-season ATP Finals, as he spurned what had looked a golden opportunity to reach a rare Masters semi.
Yet the 26-year-old could have no real complaints as he found Bublik's huge serve too potent a weapon to crack all afternoon on the slick indoor hardcourt. The world No.6 only earned two break points all match, and could convert neither.
Bublik crashed down his 16th ace to seal victory after a terrific, tight battle lasting two hours 22 minutes, the gambler in him bringing out 44 winners to go with his 54 errors that featured a host of misfiring drop shots.
Yet, still, this felt a much more disciplined performance from the start from Bublik than when he played de Minaur on the Roland Garros clay in the French Open, having thrown caution wildly to the wind after going two sets down.
That victory in May, though, did help Bublik reignite his career even though his much talked about trip to Las Vegas was supposedly just as responsible - as he's since won four tournaments and will next week rise to No.13 in the world.
"It's a milestone win, I'm hitting a new career-high, it feels great," said Bublik, who'll next meet Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in his maiden Masters last-four appearance.
Auger-Aliassime has kept alive his hopes of being the last qualifier for the eight-man ATP Finals by ending the latest adventures of Valentin Vacherot, Monaco's shock Shanghai Masters winner, 6-2 6-2 in their quarter-final.
For de Minaur, though, there'll at least be a very different feeling to when he lost in May. On that occasion, he was so dismayed by the non-stop slog, feeling burned out, that he had to walk away from the sport briefly.
This time, though, his disappointment will be quickly shelved as he turns his focus towards the ATP Finals in Turin in nine days time.
Who will be able to stop the favourite Jannik Sinner, though, either there or in Paris? He breezed into the semis with a 24th straight indoor hard-court win, 6-3 6-3, over Ben Shelton, even while still harbouring a leg issue which clearly isn't hampering his rampant return to the world No.1 spot.
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