Rublev Keeps Rolling, Takes Down Tsitsipas In Rotterdam
Andrey Rublev advanced to his fourth straight ATP 500 final on Saturday with a 6-3, 7-6(2) victory against Stefanos Tsitsipas at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam.
The World No. 8 struck 34 winners, including 24 on his forehand side, to reach the championship match after one hour and 37 minutes. With his 12th win in 13 matches this year, Rublev levelled his ATP Head2Head series against Tsitsipas at 3-3. The seven-time ATP Tour titlist also gained revenge for his final-set tie-break loss to the Greek at last year’s Nitto ATP Finals, when he failed to convert a match point.
“[I play tennis] to play at the best level, to play at the best tournaments, to try to compete, then to go deep and to try to win them,” Rublev said in an on-court interview. “A final is always special, so I am going to try to do my best tomorrow.”
Rublev’s win extended his winning streak at ATP 500 events to 19 matches. The Moscow native ended 2020 with titles in his final three ATP 500 events of the year in Hamburg, St. Petersburg and Vienna. Since 2009, only Roger Federer (28) and Andy Murray (21) have compiled longer streaks at the level.
Most Consecutive ATP 500 Match Wins (since 2009)
| Rank | Player | Wins | Years |
| 1 | Roger Federer | 28 | 2014-’16 |
| 2 | Andy Murray | 21 | 2016-’17 |
| T3 | Rafael Nadal | 19 | 2012-’13 |
| Roger Federer | 19 | 2017-’18 | |
| Roger Federer | 19 | 2018-Present | |
| Andrey Rublev | 19 | 2020-Present | |
The 23-year-old will meet Borna Coric or Marton Fucsovics in the championship match. Rublev owns a 4-0 ATP Head2Head record against Coric and is tied at 1-1 against Fucsovics.
Rublev played with aggression on his forehand to make an early breakthrough at 1-1, but the Russian was consistently put under pressure on serve in the first set. Rublev saved all five break points he faced with powerful forehands and net approaches, before clinching a love service break to close the set after 43 minutes.
Neither player was able to earn a break point in the second set, but Rublev immediately made his mark in the tie-break. The fourth seed trusted his forehand and continued to move to the net. On his first match point, Rublev hit a forehand volley winner to book his place in the final. Throughout the match, Rublev won 19 of his 22 points at the net.
“I am happy with my performance. I am happy that I am in a final,” Rublev said. “I won some great matches. Everything is going well. I just want to keep working, keep trying to improve and we will see what is going to happen.”