Andrey Rublev is in a good playing mood at the NOVENTI OPEN. After defeating his compatriot Karen Khachanov in the first round, the 23-year-old was able to overcome Jordan Thompson in the round of 16. With the score of 6:4, 6:4 against the Australian player, he demonstrated his capability impressively, even though he had a slight low in the second set.
A break was all Andrey Rublev needed to decide the first set 6:4 after 41 minutes. After quite a laid back start the Russian then switch on more aggressive modus and forced his opponent to make more mistakes. Jordan Thompson wasn’t happy and scolded himself. But that didn’t help either.
Andrey Rublev got a break in the second set straight away, it thus looked as though that was it for the Australian. But shortly afterwards the world’s no. 7 had to overcome a short low. Jordan Thompson got at re-break making it 2:2 and went into the lead 3:2, then the 23-year-old Russian remembered his strengths. From then on, he dominated the game on the grass at Halel. He got the next break making it 4:3, had a first match point at 5:3 which Jordan Thompson warded off in style. Soon after, though, it was done. Andrey Rublev transformed his second match point to make it 6:4, 6:4.
Andrey Rublev is thus through to the quarter finals for the second time since 2017 at Halle’s grass tournament. You can count on him this year. But first, he has to defeat Philipp Kohlschreiber to reach the round of the last four.
