Rublev comes back from the brink to break Auger-Aliassime’s heart in Rotterdam

Down triple match point late in the final set on Wednesday evening in Rotterdam, it looked like Andrey Rublev would on the next flight out of town. Not so fast, said the fifth-ranked Russian, who fought back from the brink and saved three match points to defeat Felix Auger-Aliassime 3-6, 7-6 (6), 7-5.

The 28th-ranked Canadian was closing in on the victory, holding three match points with Rublev serving at 4-5, 0-40 in the final set. But his hopes would soon go down the drain.

Rublev, who improves to 4-1 lifetime against the 23-year-old Canadian, will face Alex De Minaur, the No 5 seed, next. De Minaur handed Rublev a first-round last in Rotterdam last year. The pair have split six previous meetings, with Rublev taking their last tussle in five sets at this year’s Australian Open (round of 16).

A regrettable pair of games

Auger-Aliassime will carry some regret after losing this battle of former Rotterdam champions. Bidding for his first Top-5 win since he defeated Rafael Nadal at the 2022 Nitto ATP Finals, he made errors on makeable balls on his first two match points, and Rublev closed the door from there.

Rublev broke in the next game as an 2022 Rotterdam title winner Auger-Aliassime forehand sailed wide. It was the first time he was broken all day.

Rublev, the 2021 Rotterdam champion, fired an ace on his first match point in the next game to reach his fifth Rotterdam quarter-final.

The Russian defeated Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs (7-5, 6-3) ahead of his victory.

In the previous round of the Rotterdam tournament, Auger-Aliassime, ranked No 28, won against American qualifier Maxime Cressy (7-6 (3), 7-6 (8)).

Rotterdam ATP 500, other second-round results (Rotterdam Ahoy, hard, EUR 2.134.985, most recent results first):

• Jan-Lennard Struff vs. Emil Ruusuvuori
• Jannik Sinner vs. Gael Monfils
• Hubert Hurkacz vs. Tallon Griekspoor
• Alexander Shevchenko vs. Holger Rune
• Grigor Dimitrov vs. Marton Fucsovics
• Alex De Minaur beat David Goffin (Q): 6-3, 6-1
• Milos Raonic beat Alexander Bublik (8): 6-4, 6-4

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Rublo, Monte-Carlo, Davis Cup, Vicente: Everything you always wanted to know about Andrey Rublev (but never had time to find out) – updated after 2024 ATP Finals exit

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