Andriej Rubliow

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[Kiefer]

[Damian]

[Damian]

1) Rublev Top Seed: The 25-year-old Rublev holds fond memories of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, where he reached his maiden tour-level hard-court final in 2018 and lifted the trophy in 2020. The Top 10 star will seek to bounce back quickly from his early defeat to Alex de Minaur in Rotterdam when he takes on Tallon Griekspoor or Quentin Halys in his opening match at the Khalifa International Stadium.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/rio-de- ... ing-report

[Damian]

[Damian]

Felix, Rublev Both Survive Doha Scares

Spoiler:

Top seed Andrey Rublev was also forced to rally from a set down to advance to the quarter-finals, edging Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 1-6, 6-1, 7-6(6).

The World No. 5, who claimed the Doha title in 2020, had been in danger of suffering his fourth opening-round exit in five appearances this year before fighting his way back from 2-5 in the third set as the two players bludgeoned the ball from the back of the court.

Rublev saved three match points on the Griekspoor serve in the ninth game of the third set and needed three match points of his own in the ensuing tie-break to clinch victory.

He next plays last year's Next Gen ATP Finals runner-up Jiri Lehecka, of the Czech Republic.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/felix-k ... -wednesday

[Barty]

[Damian]

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2) Defending Champion Rublev: Andrey Rublev soared to success in Dubai last year, defeating Jiri Vesely in the final to clinch what was his 10th ATP Tour title. The 25-year-old will attempt to rediscover his best form at the ATP 250 this week after suffering a quarter-final defeat against Jiri Lehecka in Doha.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/acapulc ... ing-report

[Damian]

[Damian]

[Damian]

'It Was Crazy!' Rublev Downs Krajinovic In Dubai Turnaround

Spoiler:

Defending champion Andrey Rublev’s 7-5, 6-2 first-round victory against Filip Krajinovic at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Monday was very much a tale of two halves.

Krajinovic came racing out the blocks against the second seed at the hard-court ATP 500, expertly redirecting Rublev’s powerful groundstrokes to open an early 5-2 lead. Rublev, who is trying to become the first back-to-back Dubai champion since Roger Federer in 2014-15, responded in style. He won 11 of the next 13 games to seal an 89-minute victory and level his ATP Head2Head series with the Serbian at 3-3.

“[It was crazy], crazy things were in my head... Filip is one of my good friends and we always have tough battles,” said Rublev when asked about his early struggles. “So today I was going on court thinking that it was going to be a really tough match, and when he started the way he did, I didn’t know what to do because he was playing so good.

“Somehow I calmed myself and said ‘OK, restart at the bottom and raise my level’ and I started to play much, much better. I was able to turn the match around and finish the match in a good way.”


Rublev became increasingly penetrating with his groundstrokes as the match wore on, striking 28 winners and converting four of six break points to improve his record in Dubai to 11-2. The World No. 6 is chasing his first title of 2023, and his sixth ATP 500 crown overall, this week in the U.A.E.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/rublev- ... 023-monday

[Damian]

[Damian]

Rublev Saves 5 MPs, Downs Foki To Keep Dubai Title Defence Alive

Spoiler:

Andrey Rublev produced one of the comebacks of the 2023 season so far on Wednesday at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, where he came back from the brink to defeat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 1-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(3) in a remarkable second-round clash.

Facing five match points at 1/6 in the second-set tie-break, Rublev’s title defence at the ATP 500 hung by a thread. Yet he stayed focused to reel off seven points in a row and level the match in dramatic fashion, before holding his nerve again in the decider for a stunning two-hour, 25-minute victory.

It was the third time this year that Rublev has saved match points to triumph, and the second time in a week. The 25-year-old saved two match points en route to victory against Holger Rune in the fourth round at January’s Australian Open, and three match points before he defeated Tallon Griekspoor in his Doha opener seven days ago.

“It happened already [three times] this season and I’m super happy that I’m able to win these matches against [top players],” said Rublev post-match. “The beginning [of today’s match] wasn’t good. I got frustrated. He started really well, he was hitting really hard, and I didn’t have many options, but then, little by little, I started to play and started to fight.

“I started to be positive, and I made this crazy tie-break comeback from 1/6 that I’ve never done in my life before… I’m really, really happy.”


Davidovich Fokina had made a strong start to the pair’s second ATP Head2Head meeting. The World No. 29 raced to the first set after claiming what later proved to be the only two breaks of serve in the match. Rublev cited his own mental discipline as key to maintaining belief when Davidovich Fokina looked set to complete the win.

“All the second set, I was super tight, and I was holding everything inside of me," he said. "I didn’t even say ‘Let’s go, come on’, to myself, not even once, and I was just completely calm. Then when I won the second set, all the emotions came out.”

The victory improved Rublev’s record in Dubai to 11-2. He is now into his fourth straight quarter-final at the event, where he would become the first back-to-back champion since Roger Federer in 2014-15 if he can repeat his 2022 title run.

His quarter-final opponent will be Botic van de Zandschulp. The Dutchman earlier produced a comeback of his own, rallying to a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory against Mikael Ymer.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/rublev- ... -wednesday

[Damian]

[Kiefer]

[Kamileki]