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2021 finalist Rublev chasing maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in the Principality.
Andrey Rublev earned his 50th tour-level win on clay Thursday when he moved past long-time friend Karen Khachanov 7-6(4), 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

The fifth seed adjusted well in the windy conditions in the Principality. He struck the ball cleanly from the baseline, hitting 20 winners and returning with depth to advance after one hour and 30 minutes.

"We know each other too well. The first set was only mental. We didn't show some tennis skills," Rublev said. "But it was tough to show skills because the wind was really hard and the court was slippery and it was tough to do something. The first set was super mental. As soon as I was able to win a set, I started to feel more free and I felt Karen felt more down, so that was the difference."

With his 15th victory of the season, Rublev is into his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final since last May, when he reached the last eight in Madrid.

Rublev and Khachanov were teaming as doubles partners this week. They won their opening match before falling to Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski.

Rublev holds fond memories in Monte-Carlo, having advanced to the championship match in 2021. Chasing his first ATP Masters 1000 title this week, the 25-year-old will next meet Jan-Lennard Struff.

Fifth seed earns 16th win of season
Is this the week Andrey Rublev captures his maiden ATP Masters 1000 crown?

The fifth seed booked his spot in the semi-finals at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters on Friday when he moved past German qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff 6-1, 7-6(5).

In a tale of two sets, Rublev hit with effortless power throughout the opening set, striking nine winners to move ahead. He then remained patient in the second set, finding the feet of the onrushing Struff at the net at key moments to earn his 16th tour-level win of the season after one hour and 39 minutes.

"I was able to show a great level through the match, except some moments where I started to show emotions and started to get negative," Rublev said in his on-court interview. "In the end it was a dramatic match, especially in the second set. But I was able to calm myself down and play a good tie-break and I was lucky to win in straight sets."

The 25-year-old now leads Struff 3-2 in their ATP Head2Head series, avenging his loss against the 32-year-old in their previous meeting at Roland Garros in 2021.

"I was trying to still be aggressive in the second set but he started to play a bit better," Rublev said. "He started to play more aggressive. If I started to push, he would start to destroy me, so I have to be the one to hit the ball."


Rublev will next face Stefanos Tsitsipas or Taylor Fritz as he aims to reach his third ATP Masters 1000 final and second in Monte-Carlo. The 12-time tour-level titlist advanced to the title match in the Principality in 2021.

In a heavy-hitting clash in Monte-Carlo, Rublev opened his shoulders in the first set, cleaning lines with his flat groundstrokes to pull Struff around. The fifth seed then remained patient in the second set, recovering from squandering a break advantage to advance.

Struff leaves Monte-Carlo at No. 64 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings after climbing 34 spots following his run. The qualifier, who was competing in his second ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final, defeated fourth seed Casper Ruud in the third round to earn the biggest win of his season.

Fifth seed plays Rune or Sinner for title
Andrey Rublev overcame a resilient Taylor Fritz and damp conditions to reach the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters championship match on Saturday.

The fifth-seeded Rublev rallied to a 5-7, 6-1, 6-3 semi-final victory at the clay-court ATP Masters 1000. Rublev kept his cool despite losing an opening set that he had thrice led by a break of serve. He dialled in behind his powerful forehand to dominate the second set before rain forced the players off for the best part of two hours with Rublev leading 3-2 in the decider.


While Fritz struggled to rouse his best level again after the restart, Rublev resumed where he had left off. He produced some razor-sharp returning to break the American’s serve immediately for 4-2 and held firm behind his own delivery to seal a two-hour, seven-minute triumph.

With victory in his first tour-level match against Fritz on clay, Rublev advanced to the Monte-Carlo final for the second time. He fell to Stefanos Tsitsipas at the final hurdle in the Principality in 2021, but the 25-year-old will hope to banish memories of that disappointment when he meets Holger Rune or Jannik Sinner in Sunday’s championship match.

More to follow…