By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday August 27, 2019

 

Andrey Rublev notched his second giant upset of the summer as he defeated No.7-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas for in Day 2 US Open action.

Photo Source: Getty

It has been a great 2019 season for Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas but his Grand Slam quartet ended with a thud as the World No. 8 was sent packing by Andrey Rublev on Louis Armstrong Stadium on Tuesday in New York.

Rublev, a former US Open quarter-finalist just two years ago, has been having a renaissance summer. First he shocked Roger Federer out of the Western and Southern Open two weeks ago for his biggest career win; today he battled past Stefanos Tsitsipas for his third Top 10 win of the season and a spot in the second round where veteran Gilles Simon beckons.

Tsitsipas held a set point to take a two sets to love lead in this heated battle, but ultimately it was Rublev who took the third-set breaker and then engineered a late break to steal away with the match in 3:55.

The contest was not without drama as Tsitsipas needed time off court to have an injury addressed and both players had their heated moments in a match that was characterized by physicality and competitive fire.

Tsitipas was philosophical with media after the match and gave Rublev full credit for taking him down.

“He played well,” he said. “Didn't give me much options. I feel like I could have done more, but I don't really know how. But I feel like there was a gap there to execute another game plan. I felt like he was always in control of his service games. I believe I didn't serve very well today, which affected the whole cycle of my game of how I feel from the baseline, how I feel at net. Not being able to win easy points on my serve affected kind of my psychology out on the court.

Rublev earned 20 break points and converted five of them, and ultimately it was his performance on the biggest points that pulled him through.

“I believe I can do better,” Tsitsipas said. “I really hope I do better next time. I wish him the best, because he deserves to go far and deep into the tournament.”

The victory is Rublev’s third Top 10 win since Wimbledon. After missing Roland Garros with a wrist injury he is healthy and looking like a potential threat to make a run.