Andrey Rublev entered the US Open with the terrible record of being 0-8 in grand slam quarterfinals. The Russian’s 2023 season was a success, as he recorded quarterfinals appearances in the Australian Open and Wimbledon along with ATP singles titles in Monte Carlo and Sweden and a doubles title in Madrid.
Seeded 8th in Flushing Meadows, Rublev encountered unseeded yet talented opponents in his road to the quarterfinals, all of whom posed a credible threat to his quest for glory. Rublev managed to produce astute tennis and thwarted all competition as he reached his 9th grand slam quarterfinal, where he faced no.3 seed Daniil Medvedev for a shot at rewriting history.
Andrey Rublev sheds hilarious light on his QF losing streak
Andrey Rublev had no luck on his side, yet again, as he was defeated in the quarterfinals. He extended his record to 0-9 in grand slam quarterfinals, becoming the only player in tennis history to hold the dreadful record. The world no.6 found humour amidst the upsetting situation, joking that he had already created history at such a young age.
Rublev was stopped in his tracks by Novak Djokovic earlier in the year in the Australian Open quarters and Wimbledon quarterfinals, and an improved clay court season created hope in finishing the year on a high. However, his Cincinnati Open run didn’t turn out as expected and he faced tough competition from fellow young professional players like Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune in his quest for an US Open title.
His track record didn’t improve as he was soundly defeated by his close friend in the US Open quarters. He is now recuperating before he flies to Beijing to take part in the China Open, which is a Masters 1000 event. Rublev would hope to add to his point tally by winning his second ATP 1000 event of the year.
Daniil Medvedev reached US Open final after beating Andrey Rublev
In a bright, sunny and humid afternoon in New York, Daniil Medvedev brought out the best of his tennis game as he defeated Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and 48 minutes. Temperatures soared in the Arthur Ashe Stadium, as both Russians had to regularly take breaks in order to replenish their bodies.
Ice Packs were applied on faces, bottles of water were gulped and towels were used to maximum effect by both players. However, it was Medvedev who brought the heat to the centre court and produced a masterclass performance to triumph over his close friend.
The pair of professional players have been friends since childhood, growing up in the sport together. Rublev has often admired Medvedev’s capabilities, and even has commented on how the world no.3 player grew up in tough, financially insecure surroundings and yet managed to rise to the top of elite tennis. Medvedev has often joked and appreciated Rublev’s talent too.
“I think it’s something already like a family because I’m the godfather of his daughter. So, it’s become a bit… Obviously, we built our relationship because of tennis, but now it’s already bigger than tennis. We know each other, I don’t know, since we were six maybe or something.”, Rublev said on Medvedev.
“I don’t know. We have great relationship. He’s super honest, super relaxed. It’s super easy to communicate with him. Very humble. In the same time, he’s really, really funny. Then when you spend time with him, you always have fun,” he added.
Daniil Medvedev went on to defeat Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals before losing to Novak Djokovic in the US Open finals.
Andrey Rublev’s track record as world no.6 and multiple ATP Masters 1000 titles winner allows him to laugh at his own dreadful situation. What are your opinions on Rublev’s dispiriting record at grand slam quarterfinals? Let us know in the comments section below.
