Dubai Open: Rublev reaches quarter-finals
The Russian will face the winner of the match between Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp and American Sebastian Korda in the next round
Russia’s Andrey Rublev, the No 2 seed, advanced to the last eight of the Dubai Open by winning against French qualifier Arthur Cazaux 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 17 minutes at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre on Wednesday.
Rublev, ranked No 5, will play the winner of the match between Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp and American Sebastian Korda next. This is the fifth year in a row that the Russian has made it to the quarter-finals in Dubai.
Ahead of his win today, Rublev, who won this tournament in 2022, edged out Chinese Zhizhen Zhang (6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-4).
?He was serving really well. He was making first serves. I was lucky that in the first game of the match he didn’t make first serves and I guessed right and made great returns,” said Rublev as quoted by the ATP website. “I was able to break straight away and it gave me extra confidence and I was able to play freer and I think that was the key.”
Cazaux, ranked No 86, beat Italian Lorenzo Musetti (6-4, 7-6 (2)) in the previous round of the Dubai tournament.
Dubai ATP 500, other second-round matches (Aviation Club Tennis Centre, hard, USD 2,941,785):
- Hubert Hurkacz vs. Christopher O’Connell
- Daniil Medvedev vs. Lorenzo Sonego
- Jakub Mensik vs. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
- Botic van de Zandschulp vs. Sebastian Korda
- Andy Murray vs. Ugo Humbert
- Jiri Lehecka vs. Karen Khachanov
- Alexander Bublik vs. Tallon Griekspoor