By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, November 14, 2022
Andrey Rublev squandered seven set points to drop the opening set then recovered for a 6-7(7), 6-3, 7-6(7) victory over compatriot Daniil Medvedev in their ATP Finals round-robin opener.
Photo credit: Getty
Squandering seven set points to lose the opening set stung Andrey Rublev like sunburn leaving the raving Russian red-faced and stewing.
Turning indignation into inspiration, Rublev responded with one of the strongest stands of his season.
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A resilient Rublev fought off Davis Cup teammate Daniil Medvedev 6-7(7), 6-3, 7-6(7) in a pulsating ATP Finals thriller in Turin.
A roaring Rublev raised his 2022 record to 50-18 defeating Medvedev for the second time in six meetings in what he called the best emotional win of his career.
"Let's say the best one emotional-wise, yes, because we had so much dramatic, especially after the first set, being 5-2 up, having seven set points, 6-2 in the tiebreak, not being able to win a set I think never happen to me that," Rublev said. "Normally after something like that, I don't think I would win a match.
"Being able to turn around a match and win - win not only like second and third set, but win third set on a tiebreak 9-7, being against 6-3 up, this is something that never happen to me.
"So emotional-wise, for sure."
As the only member of the Red Group yet to capture the ATP Finals championship, Rublev knew he needed a strong start today and delivered it. Rublev beat buddy Medvedev for the second straight time following his three-set semifinal win at the 2021 Cincinnati event.
The fourth-seeded Medvedev fought off four match points in the final tiebreaker. Rublev ripped a backhand down the line to open the court then roared forward whipping a forehand drive volley to convert his fifth match point and conclude a fierce two hour, 31-minute struggle.
Contesting his third consecutive ATP Finals, Rublev has yet to reach the semifinals but is now in with a realy shot. Red Group rivals Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas will square off in tonight's second round-robin singles match.
The fourth-seeded Medvedev had won nine of his last 10 ATP Finals matches and took the court holding a 4-1 lead over buddy Rublev in their head-to-head series.
The Australian Open finalist had controlled this rivalry in the past because of his defensive prowess, ability to extend points and far superior second serve.
Today, the explosive Rublev created role reversal. It was Rublev who defend his second serve better winning 18 of 30 second-serve points and saving one of the two break points he faced. Rublev tempered his jolting power with patience prevailing in the majority of rallies that spanned nine or more shots.
Credit Medvedev with fighting all the way—he fired 24 aces and saved six of nine break points—but the 2020 champion's inability to punish some Rublev second serves that were slower than 80 mph and the fact he lost all three rallies than spanned more than 30 shots in the final tiebreaker were pivotal.
"Just maybe since the court is so fast, serve better in some moments," Medvedev said. "When I say 'serve better', it's a little bit tricky. I serve pretty well.
"If you make an ace on the tiebreak, he doesn't touch it, it's better than like 7-All when he returned it in. If I would go wide, it would be an ace. Well, that's part of tennis. No, just would love to play better tennis at the moment, but didn't feel much confidence before the match. Again, was good mentally, good attitude. Looking forward to next two matches to try to build the confidence."
The world No. 7 served for the opening set at 5-3, but Medvedev wasn't going away. Repelling Rublev's drives, Medvedev banged a backhand pass to break back for 4-5.
Rublev rolled to a 6-2 lead in the tiebreaker and was on course for a one-set lead.
Facing a dire deficit with defiance, Medvedev roared back fighting off seven set points and winning seven of the final eight points turning tiebreaker into heartbreaker for the fiery and frustrated Rublev. An ornery Rublev was livid over a couple of missed calls and blowing a lead.
Cornering Rublev in a backhand exchange, Medvedev pounded away at that wing until it broke. Rublev netted his two hander and Medvedev, empowered by denying seven set points, converted his first to steal a one-set lead.
After such a brutal loss of a set he seemed to have in hand, Rublev wasn't exactly sending warm and fuzzy missives to chair umpire Mohamed Layhani, who twice over-ruled incorrect calls in the tiebreaker.
A raging Rublev vented on the two over-rules while ignoring the fact he squandered seven set points and had the chance to make those calls a moot point.
"Two points! Two points in the tiebreaker. Two f--king points in the f--king tiebreaker! Two points!," Rublev barked at the chair umpire, who tried to soothe the raging Russian.
After that 59-minute set, Rublev left the court for a bathroom break or to maybe break stuff or engage in primal scream therapy after his implosion.
Credit Rublev for resetting.
Down love-30 in his opening service game of the second set, Medvedev rediscovered his first serve and hit through the test. Medvedev scorched his ninth ace down the middle holding to start the second set.
Opening-game pressure was a prelude of coming attractions. Hovering right around the baseline, Rublev rocketed a barrage of forehands drawing the error to break for a 2-1 lead—it was his first break since he broke for a 3-1 first-set lead.
Rublev won eight of the next 10 points on his serve stretching his lead to 4-2.
A tense Medvedev spit up a couple of faults then saw Rublev swipe a pair of volleys and thump a smash for his second set point of the game and ninth set point of the match. Medvedev saved it but spit up a third double fault to face a third set point of the game.
A stubborn Medvedev went for the center stripe on a second serve and instead clanked his fourth double fault of the game to gift the second set to Rublev on his 10th set point of the day.
Neither man was tested on serve through much of the final set.
Medvedev stamped three straight love holds for 4-all. Rublev ripped his ninth ace down the middle, which was initially called out but replay showed the ball touched the center stripe. Rublev held for 5-4 then issued a sarcastic OK sign to the chair umpire.
The 2021 US Open champion crunched his 22nd ace to seal a fourth consecutive love hold to even after 10 games.
Two points from defeat serving at 5-6, Medvedev made another stand scalding his 23rd ace to force the tiebreaker.
A massive 38-shot exchange opened the breaker with Rublev rifling a deep forehand to take that point. Rublev hammered a return to open the court but over-hit a diagonal forehand as Medvedev dodged danger for 2-1.
A fascinating aspect of this match was how Rublev reigned in his power strikes and times and outlasted Medvedev in longer exchanges. Rublev won a grueling 33-shot rally to go up 3-2 then bolted a forehand winner down the line for the mini break and a 4-2 lead.
Two errant Medvedev forehands gave Rublev match points at 6-3.
A stubborn Medvedev saved the first match point with a forehand volley and swiped away the second with his 24th ace.
On his third match point, Rublev tried to grind his compatriot down again. Medvedev repelled everything, worked his way to net behind a backhand volley and threw down a smash to draw even at 6-6.
Rublev tried to smile off lost opportunity as they switched sides. A netted Medvedev forehand gave Rublev reason to smile with a fourth match point. Medvedev answered with a serve winner for 7-all.
The red-haired Rublev, who had been relatively quiet the entire tiebreaker, brought out the grunt for a few ferocious forehands and drew a forehand error for his fifth match point at 8-7.
Both men refused to give up ground in a crackling 37-shot rally. Rublev opened the court with a backhand down the line, swooped in and stung a forehand swing volley to finally close a dramatic two hour, 31-minute victory.
Rublev earned a well-deserved ovation from fans, who applauded some more as he signed the court-side camera lens with a call for unity writing "Peace, Peace, Peace All We Need" in a reference to Russia's unprovoked invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
"I think it's important, especially in our time, like I was saying many times, to have a peace," Rublev said. "We have Internet. We have easy life. We can fly, travel, do sports, take care of the family. No one wants to suffer or struggle. I think it was already many, many years ago.
"I don't think that we need to. Many countries are suffering, and that's it. That's why I think it's important to be together and have peace."