2020 in Review: Andrey Rublev tames Matteo Berrettini to reach US Open quarters

For the second time in four years, the young Russian Andrey Rublev secured the US Open quarter-final spot. Andrey defeated the 6th seed and the last year's semi-finalist Matteo Berrettini 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in two hours and 42 minutes, securing a career-high ranking and moving closer to a place in the top-10. The Italian was among the players to beat after the opening three rounds, never losing serve and delivering fury from his initial shot and forehand. That wasn't the case in this encounter, though, as he sprayed too many unforced errors while hitting the same number of winners as the Russian. Matteo had only five aces, and it was Andrey who produced the more efficient numbers behind the first serve, fending off seven out of eight break chances and delivering four breaks to march over the top. The Russian found the rhythm after the opener, offering only one chance to the Italian in sets two, three and four and doing enough on the return to cross the finish line first.

Berrettini lost seven points in the opening set's five service games, keeping the pressure on Rublev and earning seven break chances. Andrey saved one in the first game before falling 2-1 behind when Matteo placed a forehand crosscourt winner. Serving at 3-5, Rublev had to dig deep to fend off four set points before Matteo closed the set on his serve in game ten for 6-4. Both players lost seven points behind the initial shot in set number two, and it was the Russian who produced more efficient serving, sailing through his games and scoring his first break following a loose drop shot from Berrettini in game four.

Andrey Rublev defeated Matteo Berrettini in four sets at the US Open.

Andrey confirmed the break with four booming serve a few minutes later and fired an ace in the seventh game to open a 5-2 gap. The Russian wrapped up the set with a service winner in game nine, leveled the overall score and gained a massive boost ahead of set number three.

Rublev stormed over Berrettini in his games, dropping two points behind the initial shot and challenging the rival to repeat that to stay in contention. Matteo couldn't reach those numbers, suffering a break at love in game three and again at 3-5 while serving to stay in the set. Finding an incredible level on serve and doing enough damage on the return, Andrey held with a forehand winner in the fourth set's fifth game and stole Matteo's serve in the next one to open a 4-2 gap. Rublev saved a break point in game seven when Berrettini's forehand let him down, sealing the deal with three winners at 5-3 to secure the quarter-final berth.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3mRmS3d