“Both of Us Were Really Tired” – Andrey Rublev Reflects on His Victory Over Daniil Medvedev

Fourth seed Andrey Rublev reached his second ATP 1000 final at the Cincinnati Open yesterday. And he did it in stunning style, breaking his losing streak to World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev in a thrilling three-set battle.

After an intense semifinal, the 23-year-old revealed how he got the job done.

Andrey Rublev admits first set score didn’t seem real

Although he served first, Rublev lost the first set 6-2. While on first glance, it may look like Medvedev dominated his compatriot, there were lengthy games which looked it could go either way.

Speaking to Prakash Amritraj on the Tennis Channel, the 23-year-old revealed how that helped him to move forward. In addition, he revealed the first set score should have been 6-4 instead.

A HUGE win for @AndreyRublev97.

Rublev achieved his first career victory over Medvedev and is into his second Masters 1000 final.@PrakashAmritraj @CincyTennis l #Cincytennis pic.twitter.com/yZMkj6FXP9

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) August 21, 2021

He said, “We had some tough points, that I miss a bit, and he played really good. Then I played some good rallies, and I could do one frame or mistake. And some games was deuce, advantage, deuce, advantage, so it could be 6-4 the first set, I think it should be. And 6-2 looks like it was so easy, but I don’t think that score was real.”

He further admitted that his gameplay in the second set helped him turned the tide. “Then I just kept playing the same way, but in the important moments I make all these shots,” said the World No. 7. “I start to serve a little better, start to change directions. And, I think in the end, that’s how when I broke him, I finished the second set.”

READ MORE: HAPLESS! Andrey Rublev Upsets Top-Seed Daniil Medvedev at Cincinnati Open 2021 Semifinals

Rublev: Medvedev made more mistakes in aggression

By the time they reached the third set, Rublev admitted fatigue set in for both players. He believed this made his Russian compatriot play more aggressively, forcing him to make more mistakes as it wasn’t his style of play.

Aug 21, 2021; Mason, OH, USA; Daniil Medvedev (RUS) and Andrey Rublev (RUS) at the net after their in their semi-final match during the Western and Southern Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

He said, “I think both of us were really tired, and also for him it was not easy to run the same way like he was doing in the first set. You can see that he started to hit more aggressive, he start to play much aggressive, which is not really his style of the game. And of course, more mistakes come from him, and that was better for me.”

Rublev will take on third seed Alexander Zverev in the final of the Cincinnati Open. The German overcame Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas in another three-set thriller. Can the Russian build momentum towards the US Open by clinching his first ATP 1000 title?

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