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Who is the most successful tennis player of the year? According to the world rankings, this title belongs to Novak Djokovic, who is already number 1 at the end of the year before the ATP Finals. The Serbian has done so for the sixth time, equaling the record of his youth idol Pete Sampras.
A redhead stands in front of the sun in two categories: Andrei Rublew has more ATP titles (5: 4) and more victories (40:39) in 2020. At the beginning of the year the Russian triumphed in Doha and Adelaide, after the restart, he they added trophies in Hamburg, Saint Petersburg and Vienna. As world number 8, he qualified for the final 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 Muscovite coming was Roger Federer. “I think Rublew will do something special,” said the Swiss at the end of 2019 when he was supposed to take a look at the ATP crystal ball. Federer’s prophecy was influenced by the only duel between the two to date: in the round of 16 in Cincinnati, one of his favorite tournaments with seven wins, he was defeated by Rublew in just 63 minutes. It was Federer’s fastest loss in more than 16 years.
Rublew dominated the game against Federer with his forehand, which, especially since the run, is one of the most dangerous shots on the tour. Thanks to this forehand, the 2014 Roland Garros junior champion, along with his compatriots Karen Khachanov (24, ATP 20) and Daniil Medvedev (24, ATP 4), were called “The Three Musketeers” of the future of Russian tennis in an early stage.
The fact that Rublew’s breakthrough was slow to arrive is due, on the one hand, to a back injury that knocked him out of the top 100 in early 2019. On the other hand, the son of a former boxer and tennis teacher was noticed over and over again for his mental neglect.
When do you get to the Grand Slams?
Those days are over. Rublew, who has been in a relationship with Latvian tennis player Anastasija Homutova (24) since 2015, can dominate almost every opponent on the tour thanks to her better serve. What is still missing is a feat in one of the Grand Slams, where the quarterfinals (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,” explains Rublew succinctly of the lack of victory in a major tournament. Maybe he saved the “special” predicted by Federer for the ATP Finals. Starting Sunday, Rublew will face 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)
Group «Tokyo 1970» (from Monday)
Novak Djokovic (ATP 1), Daniil Medwedew (ATP 4), Alexander Zverev (ATP 7), Diego Schwartzman (ATP 9)
