Grigor Dimitrov and Andrey Rublev were locked in an intense Round of 16 clash at the Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday afternoon. And Rublev looked spent after being for 8 hours and 28 minutes on the court so far at the US Open 2024, which is far more than Dimitrov’s 5 hours and 33 minutes.
Due to the fatigue kicking in, Rublev went down a break by the fourth game of the first set itself. Being unable to win even a single point during his service game, the frustrated World No.6 was understandably livid and also almost smashed his racket.
Despite a great effort by Rublev to get the break back in the following game, Dimitrov showed great poise and held his serve. After failing to win the game despite having a few break points, the Moscow native had a minor breakdown on the court as he hurt his foot and hands because of hitting himself with the racket multiple times.
It was a sight for the Arthur Ashe crowd to see, although it is not surprising as the Russian’s temperament has always been questionable.
Rublev getting a medical time out at *1-4 vs Dimitrov for…
…cutting himself while banging his hand against the strings… pic.twitter.com/Hn1VtE7aTi
— Olly (@Olly_Tennis_) September 1, 2024
Following the above-mentioned breakdown, Rublev required medical assistance to clean up the cut in his left hand. But by then, it was too late for him to bounce back in the set as Dimitrov took the opening set, 6-3.
It helped Dimitrov that he had an incredible first serve win percentage of 83 in the first set and won all 7 of his net points. In crucial moments, the Bulgarian proved to be stronger.
From the powerful forehands to the accurate backhand shots, the two friends entertained fans throughout the 48 minutes. While Dimitrov extends his record of winning 10 sets in a row at the New York-based Grand Slam, one can expect Rublev to fight back and prolong the contest to a potential four or even five-setter.
At the time of writing this report, Rublev was leading 2-1 in the second set with both players holding their serve.
