ATP Paris: Stan Wawrinka downs in-form Andrey Rublev to set Alexander Zverev clash

The 23-year-old Russian Andrey Rublev has been the player to beat since the season restart, reaching two Major quarter-finals and lifting three consecutive ATP 500 titles! In Paris, Andrey passed the second round with ease, becoming the first player with 40 ATP wins of the season and leaving Novak Djokovic on 39. Rublev will not seek the sixth title of the season in Paris, though, suffering a 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 loss to Stan Wawrinka in an hour and 41 minutes. Stan made an excellent recovery after that one-sided opening set, turning tables to reach the first Masters 1000 quarter-final since Madrid 2019 and setting the clash against Alexander Zverev. Rublev won their previous clash in Cincinnati 2019, looking good to repeat that under a roof in Paris but losing ground in sets two and three, experiencing the first loss after taking the opening set since Paris last year. Wawrinka won one point more than Rublev, with three breaks of serve on each side.

Andrey earned those in the first set, taking only 11 points on the return in the rest of the clash to end his run in the third round. Stan had the advantage in the shortest range up to four strokes and earned the victory in that segment, producing bold and aggressive tennis that left the Russian without an answer. The 5th seed grabbed a break in the first game following a loose backhand from Wawrinka, fended off a break chance in game two and closed it after a lucky net cord. Stan wasted four game chances at 1-3, falling further behind when Andrey forced a mistake to secure the second break.

Stan Wawrinka is through to his first Masters 1000 quarter-final since Madrid 2019.

From 40-15, the Swiss lost four straight points on serve in game seven, experiencing another forced error to hand the opener to his opponent after 32 minutes. Nothing could separate them in the first six games of the second set before Stan landed a return winner that sent him 4-3 up.

Wawrinka fended off two break points in the next one with service winners top move 5-3 ahead, hitting three winners in game ten to secure the set and force a decider. The Swiss produced four excellent holds in set number three, delivering a break in the first game when Rublev sprayed a forehand error. Unable to do anything on the return, Andrey netted a backhand in game nine to suffer another break and push Stan over the top. The 9th seed Pablo Carreno Busta will face world no. 2 Rafael Nadal on Friday, beating a qualifier Norbert Gombos 7-5, 6-2 in an hour and 20 minutes. Carreno Busta got broken thrice and scored six on the other side to control the scoreboard after a tight opener and reach the quarters.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2Gy7r0E