Rublev’s revenge: dispatches Lehecka to reach US Open round of 16
Rublev defeats Lehecka 6-3, 7-5, 6-4
Andrey Rublev, the fiery but affable redhead is still in search of his maiden grand slam title. The 26-year-old from Russia has had a rollercoaster of a season. He kick-started the year with a hardcourt title in Hong Kong. He triumphed at the ATP Masters 1000 in Madrid and reached the final at another in Montreal (l. Popyrin) but in between, suffered a plethora of early-round losses.
The supremely talented young Czech Jiri Lehecka is seeded and ranked #32. He achieved a career-high rank of #23 following his maiden tour-level title in Adelaide at the start of the season.
After suffering a vertebral stress fracture at the start of the clay court season, the twenty-two-year-old resumed play during the summer hardcourt swing where in Cincinnati he dispatched world #5 Daniil Medvedev in straights.
While the head-to-head was level at two apiece, Lehecka took their most recent match in March in straights at the Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells.
Rublev served first and opened with a double fault. With an ace out wide and a netted return, he held to 15 while Lehecka missed 6/8 first serves but leveled with two colossal aces.
Rublev missed 4/6 first serves but held to 30 for 2-1 with an outstanding forehand down the line. Lehecka opened the fourth with his second double fault but with an incredible inside-out forehand and ace out wide, held for 2-2.
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The 6thseed held at love for 3-2 while Lehecka struck his fourth ace and knifed an inside-out backhand volley to level at three. Rublev hit a 120mph ace up the tee and held at love for 4-3.
Lehecka serving with new balls gifted his third double fault, faced triple break point, and dumped serve when he missed wide with the backhand. Rublev hit two consecutive aces and after twenty-eight minutes secured the set 6-3.
Lehecka served first in the second and with a crisp crosscourt forehand and his fifth ace, held to 15 while Rublev opened with two unforced errors, faced two deuce and four break points yet held with a monster serve out wide.
The twenty-two-year-old opened the third with two consecutive winners including another ace and closed with a blistering forehand down the line. Rublev opened with a terrific slice backhand and two additional aces, held to 15 for 2-2.
Lehecka struck his seventh ace but faced triple break point and dropped serve when Rublev ripped a backhand pass down the line. The Russian opened the sixth with his seventh ace but with two costly errors, gave back the break.
Lehecka continued to pummel the ball and with two spectacular groundstroke winners consolidated the break for 4-3. Rublev serving with new balls missed 4/6 first serves including two consecutive double faults but managed to hold with a titanic serve out wide.
Lehecka hit two consecutive winners including his eighth ace and held at love for 5-4 while Rublev serving to stay in the set, benefited from three Lehecka errors to hold at love to level.
Lehecka missed 8/12 first serves including a double fault and though he hit two additional aces, faced three deuce, three break points, and dropped serve with a netted backhand. Rublev made 3/5 first serves and secured the set 7-5 when Lehecka netted the return.
Lehecka served first in the third and it lasted almost as long as the first set! He struck three aces and faced seven deuce and seven break points before dropping serve after Rublev ripped a forehand down the line.
The two-time Masters 1000 champion made 4/5 first serves and consolidated the break for 2-0. Lehecka made 3/4 first serves including his fourteenth ace and held at love with a deft backhand volley.
Rublev donated another double fault but with a huge serve out wide, held to 30 for 3-1. Lehecka serving with new balls faced deuce and break point but held following two netted returns from Rublev.
Rublev made 5/6 first serves but with two mishit forehands faced break point and dropped serve. Lehecka struck his fifteenth ace, donated his sixth double fault but consolidated the break for 4-3.
Rublev gifted two double faults but with three aces and an extraordinary forehand down the line, held to 30 to level. Lehecka opened the ninth with his seventh double fault and with three additional unforced errors faced break point and dumped serve.
Rublev served for the match up 5-4 and with two additional aces secured it and booked his spot in the round of sixteen. The sixth seed will face a familiar foe in Grigor Dimitrov.
The Bulgarian has had a standout season with one title, and two additional finals. The thirty-three-year-old is back in the top ten at #9 and has not dropped a set en route to the fourth round. While he trails the head-to-head 3-4, this promises to be an enthralling, competitive encounter.
