Rublev overpowers Nakashima in straight sets to set up Schwartzman quarter-final
Fresh from playing a crucial role in Team Europe’s Laver Cup win, Andrey Rublev put on a clinical display to advance to the last eight in San Diego
TORONTO, ON – AUGUST 11: Andrey Rublev (RUS) returns the ball during his National Bank Open tennis tournament second round game on August 11, 2021, at Aviva Centre in Toronto, ON, Canada.
Credit: Icon SMI / Panoramic
Top seed Andrey Rublev put on a dominant display to defeat American Brandon Nakashima 6-2, 6-1 in his first match at the San Diego Open on Wednesday.
Rublev, who went 3-0 in last weekend’s Laver Cup across singles and doubles, needed only 63 minutes for the win in which he broke his opponent six times and gave up his own serve just once.
The Russian’s game was on song as he used his powerful forehand to dominate the match and advance to a quarter-final showdown against Diego Schwartzman.
Sixth seed Schwartzman came from a set down to beat South African Lloyd Harris 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the final match of the day.
Hurkacz carries winning form from Metz to Indian Wells
In the first round matches on Wednesday, fifth seed Hubert Hurkacz and eighth seed Dan Evans scored straight-set wins to reach the round of 16.
Hurkacz, who won the Metz title on Sunday, continued his winning ways with a 7-6(2), 6-1 win over Australian Alex Bolt. He will next meet Aslan Karatsev, who won his first-round match on Tuesday.
Hurkacz, who lifted the Miami Open title in March, is currently sitting in ninth position in the ATP Race to Turin and a good showing this week will help further his chances for a spot in the eight-man ATP Finals. (Note – Rafael Nadal is currently in seventh position but has already announced that he will not return to the tour in 2021).
Fifth seed Krajinovic among winners in Sofia
At the Sofia Open on Wednesday, fifth seed Filip Krajinovic was among the winners, scoring a 6-0, 6-3 first round win over Belarusian wild card Alexander Lazorov.
In other first-round matches, Ilya Ivashka scored a 6-4, 6-3 win over Pablo Andujar to set up a clash against second seed Gael Monfils; Ilya Marchenko beat fellow qualifier Andreas Seppi 6-4, 6-2; and James Duckworth, finalist in Nur-Sultan last week, defeated Emil Ruusuvuori 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
In second-round action, Gianluca Mager scored a 7-6(3), 6-3 win over Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic while lucky loser Kamil Majchrzak defeated wild card Dimatir Kuzmanov 7-5, 6-1.
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