Historically, since making his Top 10 debut four years ago, Andrey Rublev hasn’t found much success in winning two straight matches.
However, it is in the spring of 2024. This week at the Mutua Madrid Open, Rublev has won two matches in a competition for the first time since he was defaulted in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on March 1.
Seventh-seeded Rublev overcame Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain in the third round of the Caja Mágica on Sunday, winning 7-6(10), 6-4, after the Spaniard had fallen behind 5-0 in the opening set tiebreak. During the 22-point breaker, which lasted for almost an hour, Rublev needed two set points himself but ultimately saved five set points.
“Alejandro was making really great points, so I didn’t have many chances,” Rublev remarked after the game. “I was mentally down. The first couple of points I was down, I played like I don’t care and managed to win them. Then on my serve I was thinking at least to keep your serve and it might be 4-5, and then you don’t know what will happen.
“Then it was 4-5 and the score became more tight and I managed to come back. I started to feel more confidence in the second set and started to feel the game better.”
Rublev was coming into Madrid having lost his previous four matches, including the opening set of his ATP Masters 1000 title defense in Monte Carlo.
After losing his opening match in his title defense at the ATP Masters 1000 in Monte Carlo earlier this month, Rublev had lost his previous four matches going into Madrid. However, he ended that run of bad luck in the first round of the tournament when he defeated Argentina’s Facundo Bagnis.
The smallest of margins determined the outcome of the second set as well. Rublev mishit a forehand groundstroke on break point at 4-4, causing it to float deep towards Davidovich Fokina’s baseline. The Spaniard stopped the play right away and motioned for an electronic review, which is being utilized on Madrid’s clay courts, after the line umpire called him in. It was determined that the ball had barely brushed the baseline’s rear edge.
Rublev was coming into Madrid having lost his previous four matches, including the opening set of his ATP Masters 1000 title defense in Monte Carlo.
Another point was not won by Davidovich Fokina. Rublev clinched the win with a resounding four forehand victories, contributing to his match total of 29.
Rublev’s next opponent for a quarterfinal position is Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands, ranked No. 24. Griekspoor defeated No. 11 seed Holger Rune 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. Rublev overcame a deficit to defeat Griekspoor twice in the previous year.