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Russian Andrey Rublev stormed to victory over Italian Lorenzo Sonego on Sunday, winning the Erste Bank Open, his fifth ATP Tour-leading title of the year.
In the process of winning the Vienna crown, he also equaled 17-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in terms of the number of matches won this season. Together they now top the bill with 39 wins each.
Having had phenomenal success only at age 23, Rublev outscored his opponent in 1 hour and 19 minutes.
How Andrey Rublev Made an Unbalanced Final
It turned out to be an unbalanced final, with Sonego falling in straight sets. The final score stood at 6-4, 6-4, underscoring the dominance of the world’s No. 8 Russian. Sonego scored a surprise victory over 17-time Slam winner Novak Djokovic en route to the summit clash.
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Andrey Rublev, barely hiding his joy at the presentation ceremony, said: “This tournament is very special to me because my grandmother was also Austrian, so I have Austrian blood. It’s a really special title for me. “
Rublev’s win-loss ratio this year is 39-7, slightly below Djokovic’s tally of 39 wins and 3 losses.
Rublev wins entry to ATP Finals with victory for Erste Bank
Erste Bank’s title win also gave Rublev a ticket to the Nitto ATP Finals at London’s O2 Arena, for the first time in his young career. The end-of-season event, featuring the men’s Top-16, will take place November 15-22.
It is only the second time in history since 2000 that two Russian players have qualified for the season finale. While Marat Safin and Yevgeny Kafelnikov entered the 2000 draw for the event, this year will see Rublev and compatriot Daniil Medvedev battling for the ATP Finals crown.
Additionally, for the first time at this year’s event, up to seven Russian-speaking players have made it to the ATP Finals draw.
After Doha, this was Rublev’s second title-winning race without dropping a set.
