Rublev Takes Hanfmann Revenge With Halle Win
Is Andrey Rublev rustling up another deep run at the Terra Wortmann Open? The 2021 finalist booked his spot in the last eight at the grass-court ATP 500 event on Thursday with a 7-6(5), 6-3 victory against Yannick Hanfmann.
Rublev delivered a solid display to hold off the World No. 53 Hanfmann and improve his record in Halle to 8-3. Home favourite Hanfmann had led 5/3 in the first-set tie-break but was unable to push on and forge a repeat of his victory in the pair’s fourth-round meeting last month at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome.
“The important thing was I was able to win against a tough player like Yannick,” said Rublev. “The last time he beat me and he’s playing better and better. Especially on grass, he’s even tougher to play against because he has such a good serve and a good game at the net. I was able to win the match in two sets so I’m really happy.”
Take a bow, Andrey! ????
— ATP Tour (@atptour) June 22, 2023
???? @AndreyRublev97 @ATPHalle | #TerraWortmannOpen pic.twitter.com/xS2v5Idgq3
After winning five of the final six points to claim the first-set tie-break, Rublev carried the momentum into the second second, in which he established an ultimately unassailable 4-0 lead. With the OWL Arena roof closed during the second set to shelter the court from the torrential Halle rain, Rublev pushed on to a one-hour, 39-minute triumph in which he converted three of his six break points.
The World No. 7 will now prepare for his sixth tour-level quarter-final of the season against last week’s ‘s-Hertogenbosch winner Tallon Griekspoor. The 25-year-old Rublev is a 13-time ATP Tour titlist and is chasing his maiden crown on grass this week in Germany.
Griekspoor saved a match point against defending champion Hubert Hurkacz to notch a 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(8) victory and extend his winning run to seven matches. The Dutchman knocked off the sixth seed on his fifth match point, after Hurkacz battled back from 3/6 in the decisive tie-break to move within one point of the quarter-finals at 8/7.
The result levels the pair's ATP Head2Head series at 1-1 less than one month after Hurkacz downed Griekspoor in five sets in the Roland Garros second round.
Entering Halle at a career-high Pepperstone ATP Ranking of World No. 29, Griekspoor is seeking the third ATP Tour title of both this season and his career.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]