Andrey Rublev: I came to Vienna thinking I got nothing to lose and made final

Russian tennis star Andrey Rublev has continued his outstanding 2020 season as on Sunday he will be contending for the leading fifth-title of the season when he meets lucky loser Lorenzo Sonego in the Vienna final. 

Rublev, seeded at No. 5, had a comfortable 6-4 4-1 lead over former world No. 5 Kevin Anderson when the South African was for ed to retire the match due to an injury. 

Rublev, who recently broke into the top-10 for the first time in his career as he is enjoying a career-high ranking of No. 8 in the world, arrived to Vienna not expecting much.

"I don’t know why it’s going so well. I have such an amazing team, such amazing friends around me that always support me and probably that’s why I’m playing so good,” Rublev said in his on-court interview, per the ATP website. “I came here thinking that I have nothing to lose. I already did a really great season, so I came here to enjoy, to do my best, to fight for every point, every match, and now here I am in the final. I want to keep thinking in the same way and we’ll see what’s going to happen tomorrow.”

Rublev makes the Vienna final without a dropped set 

"I was not even thinking about it," Rublev said. "I'm serving really well this week, so we'll see. You never know what's going to happen tomorrow."

Elsewhere, Australian John Millman edged out rising American star Frances Tiafoe 3-6 6-4 6-4 to make the final in Nur-Sultan.

"I definitely didn’t want to play three sets. I was pretty tired after yesterday’s match. It was tough out there today with really physical tennis,” said Millman in an on-court interview. “Frances is a top player. He is obviously so dangerous.”

"It is so hard to make finals in ATP events. It has been a really unexpected surprise, but in every tournament you go out there to hopefully try and win it. I am glad I am in a position to [do that].”

Millman, ranked at No. 45 in the world, will battle against France's Adrian Mannarino in the Nur-Sultan final as the Australian is aiming to clinch his maiden ATP title.

"Adrian Mannarino is an established Top 100 player… He is very comfortable on these courts,” said Millman. “He is a lefty [who is] so tough to break down… I am really glad that I can be in a position to play for the title.”

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2HPRxPy