April 16, (THEWILL) – In a thrilling finale at the Monte Carlo Masters, Andrey Rublev won his first ATP 1000 title by coming from a set down to beat Holger Rune 5-7, 6-2, 7-5.
The Russian was on the brink of defeat when he found himself 3-0 and 4-1 behind in the final set but managed to turn the tide and clinch victory.
Rublev’s comeback was ignited when he saved a breakpoint in the sixth game of the decider, before winning six of the last seven games.
Rune had taken the first set after breaking Rublev’s serve, but the fifth seed bounced back in the second set, breaking Rune’s serve immediately and winning it 6-2. In the decider, both players had chances to break serve, but Rublev proved more clinical in seizing his opportunities.
Rune fought valiantly throughout the match and saved a total of 11 break points but ultimately could not hold off Rublev’s relentless pressure. With this win, Rublev secured his first ATP 1000 title and added to his impressive record on clay courts.
The Russian will now look to carry this momentum into the upcoming tournaments, while Rune will take heart from his impressive performance and continue to build on his promising start to the season.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
