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Who is the most successful tennis player of the year? According to the world rankings, this title still belongs to Novak Djokovic, already number 1 at the end of the year before the ATP Finals. The Serbian has achieved this for the sixth time, equaling the record of his youth idol Pete Sampras.
A redhead faces the sun in two categories: Andrei Rublew has the most ATP titles (5: 4) and the most wins (40:39) in 2020. At the beginning of the year, the Russian triumphed in Doha and Adelaide, after the shooting trophies were held in Hamburg, St. Petersburg and Vienna. As number 8 in the world, he qualified for the finals of the best of the year tour for the first time.
Federer expected “something special”
One who saw the rise of the 23-year-old from Moscow was Roger Federer. “I think Rublew will do something special,” the Swiss said at the end of 2019, when he should have taken a look at the crystal ball for ATP. Federer’s prophecy was influenced by the only duel between the two to date: in the last sixteen in Cincinnati – one of his favorite tournaments with seven wins – he lost to Rublew in just 63 minutes. It was Federer’s fastest defeat in over 16 years.
Rublew dominated the match against Federer with his forehand, which – especially from running – is one of the most dangerous hits on the tour. Thanks to this forehand, the junior champion of Roland Garros 2014, together with his country men Karen Khachanov (24, ATP 20) and Daniil Medvedev (24, ATP 4), has been called “The Three Musketeers” of the future of Russian tennis.
The fact that Rublew’s breakthrough has come a long time ago is due on the one hand to a back injury that pushed him out of the top 100 in early 2019. On the other hand, the son of a former boxer and a teacher tennis has been noticed over and over again due to his mental neglect.
When do you win the Grand Slams?
Those days are over now. Rublew, who has been in a relationship with Latvian tennis player Anastasija Homutova (24) since 2015, can dominate almost any opponent on the tour thanks to his improved serve. What is still missing is an exploit in one of the Grand Slams, where the quarter-finals (Paris 2020, New York 2017 and 2020) are his best result.
“The level is extremely high and there is no place for everyone at the top,” Rublew succinctly explains of the lack of victories in a major tournament. Maybe he saved Federer’s “special” for the ATP finals. From Sunday Rublew will meet Rafael Nadal (ATP 2), Dominic Thiem (ATP 3) and Stefanos Tstsipas (ATP 6) in the “London 2020” group. (cmü)
Group “London 2020” (from Sunday)
Rafael Nadal (ATP 2), Dominic Thiem (ATP 3), Stefanos Tsitsipas (ATP 6), Andrei Rublew (ATP 8)
“Tokyo 1970” Group (from Monday)
Novak Djokovic (ATP 1), Daniil Medwedew (ATP 4), Alexander Zverev (ATP 7), Diego Schwartzman (ATP 9)
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