By Chris Oddo | Thursday October 20, 2016
Russians are rising at the Kremlin Cup as a pair of unheralded youngsters have booked spots in their first career quarterfinals.
Photo Source: TennisTV
Ever heard of Alexander Bublik? How about Daniil Medvedev? If not, you may very soon.
These two unheralded Russians are catching fire this week at Moscow’s Kremlin Cup, and both have reached their first career quarterfinals.
20-year-old Medvedev defeated No.4-seeded Viktor Troicki, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, to book a clash with France’s Stephane Robert, while Bublik, a 19-year-old qualifier, took out top-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut, 6-3, 7-5.
Bublik won his first tour-level match in the first round at Moscow when he defeated fellow Russian Konstantin Kravchuk. Medvedev won his fifth tour-level match today, all of which have come this year.
Bublik, currently ranked 266 in the world, will face No.6-seeded Pablo Carreno Busta next.
Bublik was ranked 964 in the world when the season started, and Medvedev has climbed from 329 to his current perch at 123 in the rankings this year.
Thomaz Bellucci and No.2-seeded Albert Ramos-Vinolas also advanced on Thursday. Bellucci downed Russian and No.8-seed Andrey Kuznetsov, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, while Ramos-Vinolas took out Russian Evgeny Donskoy, 6-4,6-7(4),6-4.