the russian Andrey Rublev, fifth favorite, is the first Monte Carlo Masters 1000 semifinalist 2023, by defeating German Jan-Lennard Struff this Friday, 6-1 and 7-6 (5), in 1 hour and forty minutes.
Rublev (n.6 ATP) added his fourth win over Struff (n.100), who only prevailed in the previous confrontation between the two, at Roland Garros 2021.
This time, in the land of Monte Carlo, the match was completely dominated by Rublev, who nevertheless started by giving his serve. He responded with a vengeance, scoring the next seven games, giving him the first set and a lead in the second.
The second set continued to see Struff uncomfortable with his serve, who made five straight points but the same number of double faults, in addition to not hitting more than 39 percent in his first. But Rublev’s percentage with the rest decreased, especially on second serves, and it kept the score level.
So they both alternated rest (seventh and eighth games), to bring the stipulated decision to the decision on the thirteenth. There, the Russian conceded what was his second match point-
In the semifinals, Rublev waiting for the winner of the duel between the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipasnumber 2 in the tournament but now the main favorite after falling in the round of 16 against Serbian Novak Djokovic, and the American Taylor Fritz.
This was Rublev’s second appearance in a Monte Carlo semifinalwhere he already planted in 2021, when he fell in the final against Tsitsipas.
Source: La Verdad
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