Andrey Rublev roars into Adelaide International final with victory over Felix Auger-Alisassime
Andrey Rublev is through to the final of the ATP Adelaide International with the Russian ace continuing his red-hot start to 2020 in a tight tussle against Canadian Felix Auger-Alisassime.
Tennis
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This could, if we are lucky, be a forerunner of men’s tennis of the next decade, Andrey Rublev and Felix Auger-Alisassime serving up an absolute cracker, almost three hours of toe to toe tennis, neither man giving an inch.
Have no doubts, this was a step up on all that has gone before at the ATP Adelaide International, the Russian, Rublev, coming home 7-6 (5), 6-7 (7) 6-4.
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It seemed a long time since Ash Barty, in the previous match, had buoyed a capacity crowd in their summer best, sun and light filling Memorial Drive.
By the time the two men finally shook hands, it was near numbingly cold. Rublev’s coach, Fernando Vicente, all wrapped up in the stands, had the right idea, but that he had come prepared for a chill in January suggested sublime attention to detail.
Rublev was of the same mindset. With one ATP title (Doha) in the bag already this year, the 22-year-old is bang in form.
He arrived from the middle-east this week short of sleep and has a permanent laconic look about him but get the Russian in a press conference and he is proactive and good company.
Andrey Rublev!!! ‘The man who refuses to be beaten’!!! 💪💪💪 What a marvelous battle against Auger-Aliasima, 7/6 6:7 6/4, and another final for you!!! â¤ï¸â¤ï¸â¤ï¸ All the best tomorrow!!! â¤ï¸ðŸ†ðŸŽ¾ðŸ€â¤ï¸ðŸ†ðŸŽ¾ðŸ€â¤ï¸ðŸ†ðŸŽ¾ðŸ€ @AndreyRublev97 (#TennisTv) pic.twitter.com/JXUIb0BCaJ
— Donatella (@Donatel91653712) January 17, 2020
A few hours before his semi-final he was walking back from training on an outside court, giant tennis bag strapped on his back, hitting partner by his side. He was one of just four semi-finalists (men and women) the fans had come to watch yet no one appeared to notice him. He could, in probability, have pogoed across the river Torrens back to his hotel on the far bank and would still have been anonymous.
It is a paradox. Of all the young men seeking to usurp the game’s holy trinity, Rublev stands as good a chance as any. An all-rounder, he has power, flair and is missing just a second serve of consequence although there were no breaks of serve by either man all match.
Rublev warmed up as if he was preparing for a boxing match, scything the air with racquet while jumping on the spot, his intent impressive.
The Canadian was more chilled, taking a bottle from the courtside fridge and sitting down for a sip while the Russian went through his routines
The match itself was down to tiny margins al night, no break of serve at all in the first two sets, then Auger-Aliassime saving himself from 4-1 down in the second tie-break.
Auger-Aliassime, just 19, has a languid, classically athletic bearing and is a crowd pleaser. Like Rublev he is not the class clown but would be a walkover candidate for head boy every time. It is a label every youngster would, and would not, want but Federer mark 2 leaps to mind. And like he opponent, he does not give up ever.
Finally, Rublev, after coming back from 3-0 down, broke for 5-4 in the final set and held out, the quality of the rallies increasing if anything, match point number four sealing his place in the final.
“I completely lost myself at 2-0, I showed a lot of emotion. At 3-0 I started again and fought for every ball,” he said. “People enjoyed it, that’s why we play tennis.”
This evening’s final opponent, Lloyd Harris, was intent on chilling at his hotel while his opponents were at war. It is his first ATP final and he will be nervy but has the significant advantage of a night off.
Asked if he would have any energy left for the final, an exhausted but ecstatic Rublev simply shrugged.
“We will see,” he said.
He is though is a hard player, Russian hard. It is difficult to see anything but a title in Adelaide this week and, in a year or two, another in Melbourne maybe. Rublev is that good, and really they both are.