Rublev stuns Federer in 3rd round of ATP Cincinnati Masters

Speed Post News Network

Patna : World No 70 Andrey Rublev, 21, Russia, stunned World No 3 Roger Federer, 38, Switzerland, in Round of 16 of ATP Cincinnati Masters at Ohio, USA, to storm into the quarter-finals of the hard courts event on August 16, 2019, early morning. But, World No 1 and top seed Novak Djokovic, 32, Serbia, and World No 11 Roberto Bautista Agut, 31, Spain, advanced to the quarter-finals.

Rublev, a qualifier, beat 3rd seed Federer, the 2018 finalist, in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 in just 61 minutes in a massive upset in the tournament. The Russian won 3 break points in the match to 1 by the Swiss. Both the players served 5 Aces each in the match. Rublev’s winning percentage on his first serve ( 81%) was much higher than that of Federer ( 64%).  But, his winning percentage on his second serve ( 56%) was little less than that of Federer ( 57%). Rublev also won 3 games in a row in the match.

Top seed and defending champion Djokovic beat qualifier Pablo Carreno Busta, 28, Spain,  the World No 53, in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 in 90 minutes in Round of 16 to advance to the quarter-finals of the tournament. The Serbian fired 8 Aces in the match to none by Busta. Djokovic also won 2 break points besides winning 3 games in a row in the match. Djokovic won 45 service points to 37 by the Spaniard.

Djokoviv will face World No 31 Lucas Pouille, 25, France, in the QFs on August 17, 2019. Pouille upset World No 9 Karen Khachanov, 23, Russia, in a three-set encounter 6-7, 6-4, 6-2 in 1 hr 58 minutes in Round of 16 to advance to QFs. Khachanov though hammered 17 Aces in the match to 9 by Pouille. But, Pouille won 3 break points to none by the Russian. He also won 5 games in a row to 3 by Khachanov.

Agut brushed aside qualifier and World N058 Miomir Kecmanovic, 19, Serbia,  6-1, 6-2 in Round of 16 to reach QFs. Agut won 4 break points in the match besides winning 5 games in a row. The Spaniard also fired 6 Aces in the match. Agut will face World No 56 Richard Gasquet, 33, France, in QFs on August 16, 2019, at 10.30 pm. Agut had also reached QFs of Rogers Cup last week.

World No 8 Daniil Medvedev, 23, Russia, beat World No 36 Jan-Lennard Struff, 29, Germany, 6-2, 6-1 in Round of 16 on August 15, 2019, night, to enter the QFs. World No 19 David Goffin, Belgium, beat World No 59 Adrian Mannarino, 31, France, 7-6, 6-2 in Round of 16 to enter QFs. Goffin will face qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka, Japan, in QFs on August 16, 2019, at 11.45 pm.