Andrey Rublev secured his spot in the semifinals of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters for the second time in his career with a 6-1 7-6 (7-5) win over German qualifier Jan Lennard Struff in 1 hour and 39 minutes. Rublev earned his 16th tour-level win this season.
Rublev leads 3-2 in his five head-to-head matches against Struff.
Rublev dropped his serve in the first game of the opening set, but he bounced back by breaking on all of Struff’s service games to win the first set 6-1 in 26 minutes.
Rublev was not able to convert his first six break points in the second set, but he converted on his seventh chance in the seventh game. Struff rallied from 15-40 down to break back in the eighth game for 4-4. Both players held on their next two service games to set up a tie-break.
Rublev started the tie-break with an early mini-break, but Struff pulled back on serve to draw level to 2-2. Rublev earned two set points at 6-4 with his second mini-break after a double fault from Struff. The German player saved the first set point, but Rublev sealed the tie-break 7-5 with his third mini-break.
“I was able to show a great level through the match, except some moments where I started to show emotions and get negative. In the end it was a dramatic match, especially in the second set, but I was able to calm myself down and play a good tie-break and I was able to win in straight sets. I was trying to still be aggressive in the second set but he started to play more aggressive. If I started to push, he would start to destroy me, so I have to be the one to hit the ball”, said Rublev.
Struff beat Casper Ruud in the third round to earn his biggest match of the season.
Rublev set up a match against Taylor Fritz, who beat two-time defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2 6-4 after 70 minutes to reach the first semifinal of his career at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. Fritz won the first top 10 win of his career on clay.
Fritz ended Tsitsipas’ 12-match winning streak in Monte-Carlo. The Californian player fired 17 winners compared to Tsitsipas’ 10 and won 70% of his second serve points. He converted four of his five break points.
Fritz is chasing the second ATP Masters 1000 title of his career following his triumph in Indian Wells in 2022.
The US player earned an early double break in the first and third games and held on his next three service games to close out the first set 6-2 in 29 minutes, becoming just the second player in the last three years to win a set against Tsitsipas in Monte-Carlo.
Fritz earned the first break with a forehand winner to take a 4-3 lead in the seventh game. Tsitsipas broke straight back with a forehand winner to draw level to 4-4. Fritz earned his second break to take a 5-4 lead, when Tsitsipas sent a forehand into the tramlines. Fritz sealed a love hold with an ace to serve out the match to advance to his third Masters 1000 semifinal.
“I thought my level today was very high. I think I played a very good match. Beating him here gives me a lot of confidence. It has given me the reassurance I need to know I can play well on clay. I seemed to play on the big points. I took my chances. I knew if I played too safe he would be able to get around and dictate on the forehand. So even in the pressure moments I pulled the trigger”, said Fritz.
