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By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, April 24, 2022

 
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Andrey Rublev saved eight of nine break points grinding down world No. 1 Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-0 in the Belgrade final for his third title of 2022.

Photo credit: Serbia Open Facebook

Drained by his fourth consecutive three-set battle, Novak Djokovic slowly climbed off his court-side seat like a banged-up boxer rising from his stool.

The world No. 1 continued to fight but Andrey Rublev ripped fierce forehands knocking the hometown hero out.

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Rublev denied eight of nine break points defeating a depleted Djokovic 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-0 in the Belgrade final to collect his 11th career championship, including his third title of 2022.




It's Rublev's first win over a reigning world No. 1 and first victory over Djokovic.

“You’re one of the greatest players in history; I cannot say bad luck to you to be one of the greatest like you,” Rublev told Djokovic afterward. “It’s an honor to play against you. To share the court for the second time, hopefully I will see you for many years. We will have more battles, which I would like.”



B The 24-year-old Rublev, who won Dubai and Marseille earlier this season, equaled Rafael Nadal for the ATP title lead on the season. Rublev raised his 2022 record to 23-5—second-most wins on Tour behind only Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has 24 match wins this season.

An energized Rublev broke serve three times in a row in the final set as Djokovic, contesting his first final since he won the Rolex Paris Masters over Daniil Medvedev last November, ran out of gas suffering the final-set shutout.

One of the fittest players on tour, Djokovic’s recent lack of match play combined with the pressure of trying to please home fans and take the title left him looking spent by the final set today. The questions for Djokovic, who is aiming to defend his Roland Garros title next month and equal Nadal’s men’s major mark with his 21st Grand Slam title, is can he get enough match play before Paris? Can he sharpen his fitness ahead of the transition to best-of-five sets for Roland Garros? And can he put a series of slow starts behind him if he is able to play regularly?

“Congratulations, you are a great champion great guy and Belgrade and Serbia love you,” Djokovic told Rublev. “So please come back and defend your title.”

The eighth-ranked Russian reeled off 10 consecutive points to take charge of the opening set. Blasting some big forehands, Rublev exploited a slow start from the Serbian breaking at love then backing up the break with a shutout hold for a 4-2 first-set lead.

Struggling to find his return game and sometimes dropping deep behind the baseline to return, Djokovic won just two points on Rublev’s first serve in the first set.

Djokovic pasted a backhand into net as Rublev sealed the 35-minute opening set. For the fourth straight match, Djokovic would need to comeback from a set down.

Tennis Express

The pair traded breaks in the second and third games of set two.

Belgrade fans burst out of their seats screaming support as Djokovic pushed for the break in the 10th game.




Banging a backhand down the line, Djokovic pinned Rublev in his forehand corner then cracked a forehand down the same sideline for a break point and set point.

Rublev saved it but Djokovic read the wide serve and scalded a forehand return winner for a second set point. A tremendous all-court point followed with Djokovic making several sensational digs before opting for the dropper. Rublev caught it and held his ground for a smash silencing the crowd and saving a second set point.

The feisty Russian fought through a fierce 12-and-a-half minute hold pounding out an inside-out forehand to cap a tense hold to level after 10 games.

On the warmest day of the week, Djokovic bent over behind the baseline and gulped in air down 15-30 in the 11th game. Djokovic missed the mark with a drive to face a break point. The Serbian shrewdly hit his forehand down the line behind Rublev to erase break point.

Serving at 5-6, Rublev ripped a serve winner to save a third set point. Rublev repelled a fourth set point smacking a clean forehand winner down the line and rejected a fifth set point with another winner. Cranking a crosscourt forehand winner, Rublev uttered a firm “vamos” muting the crowd and fighting off three more set points to force the tiebreaker.

In the breaker, Rublev dipped slightly and Djokovic, fighting fatigue, elevated at crunch time. Rublev missed a forehand down the line and double faulted falling into a 2-5 hole. Djokovic bunted a forehand approach down the line drawing an errant lob for set points at 6-3.

On his seventh set point, Djokovic finally converted as Rublev dashed to the sideline to cover pass but blocked a forehand volley wide. Djokovic trudged slowly to his seat leveling after on hour, 54 minutes of physical tennis.




Both men left the court before the start of the third with Djokovic returning about eight minutes later and trying to refresh for the third-set fight.

From the outset, Rublev looked fresher and more willing to engage in extended exchanges. The Russian saved a pair of break points holding to start the final set.

A flat-footed Djokovic slapped a weary backhand well wide of the sideline to face break point in his opening service game.

Though Rublev is typically averse to the front court, the Russian stood his ground at net reflexing back a volley to convert the break for a 2-0 lead.




Exuding more energy, Rublev confirmed the break for 3-0. Moving to his left, Rublev vaporized a forehand return down the line breaking again for 4-0.

Trying to summon more juice on his shots, Djokovic could not match Rublev’s physicality and ferocity in the final set. Rublev roped one final forehand off the baseline sealing his third title of the year in two hours, 23 minutes.


 

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