Andrey Rublev ‘tears’ up after first Masters 1000 title victory
Andrey Rublev has won his first ATP Masters 1000 title, in Monte Carlo, and was very emotional after his victory over Holger Rune.
Rublev beat Rune, 5-7 6-2 7-5, to win the Monte Carlo Masters crown after coming back from 4-1 down in the third set.
The Russian reflected on ‘finally’ achieving this feat, “I have tears and don’t know what to say, I’m just so happy. Finally, after struggling so much to win these 1000 tournaments. Losing 4-1 at 0-30, then break point, I’m thinking there’s no chance to win and somehow I did it.”
Sealed with an ace! 🔥
Andrey Rublev won his first Masters 1000 title by defeating Holger Rune in Monte Carlo 🏆👏 pic.twitter.com/iDlVSOlZwF
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) April 17, 2023
The 25-year-old had previously lost in the Monte Carlo final to Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2021, and revealed that straight sets defeat helped inspire him to winning the biggest title of his career so far.
“I was deep inside hoping I would have one chance, knowing that in previous finals mentally I was not ready and when I was losing I was thinking there would be no chance to win anymore,” said Rublev.
The No.6 added, “Today I was thinking, ‘OK, if you’re going to lose today, at least believe until the end’ and that’s what I tried to do in the third set, hoping I would have one chance to come back.”
Andrey Rublev and his path to the Monte Carlo title
The Monte Carlo Masters title is the 13th of Rublev’s career, and here is how he did it:
First Round – Received a bye
Second Round – Beat Jaume Munar, 4-6 6-2 6-2
Third Round – Beat Karen Khachanov (9), 7-6(4) 6-2
Quarter-final – Beat Jan-Lennard Struff, 6-1 7-6(5)
Semi-final – Beat Taylor Fritz (8), 5-7 6-1 6-3
Final – Beat Holger Rune (6), 5-7 6-2 7-5
Rublev is now scheduled to head to the new Novak Djokovic family organised ATP event in Banja Luka, Bosnia, and will play either Juan Pablo Varillas or Hugo Gaston after receiving a bye to the second round.
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