Rublev hoping 9 instances is the allure on the US Open

AFP

Andrey Rublev dispatched the final Briton Jack Draper 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4 to achieve the US Open quarter-finals after which return to the drafting board to determine a option to clear the subsequent hurdle.

Getting to the final eight is nothing new for the Russian, who has now made it to the quarters of a Grand Slam 9 instances however on every event to this point that’s the place his journey has ended.

Rublev has run right into a quarter-final brick wall at three US Opens, tripped up by Rafael Nadal in 2017, Daniil Medvedev in 2020 and Frances Tiafoe in 2022.

Compatriot Medvedev might once more be the impediment he must navigate with the 2021 US Open champion taking up Australian Alex De Minaur afterward Monday for a quarter-final spot.

“I don’t want to think about my game, to be honest, because I feel I’m playing well, and that’s the most important thing,” mentioned Rublev. “That’s why I do not need to take note of the sport and to place additional stress on me.

“I feel the ball well. I played good match today.”

Rublev was a one-man French wrecking crew on option to the quarters by disposing of fortunate loser Arthur Cazaux, Gael Monfils and Arthur Rinderknech earlier than going through Draper.

The British left-hander arrived in New York uncertain if he might compete after struggling a small tear in his shoulder that pressured him out of the Winston-Salem tune-up occasion however ultimately was the final Briton nonetheless on courtroom.

Draper, into the fourth spherical of a Grand Slam for the primary time, got here on courtroom to battle and cut up the primary two units.

But within the third Rublev’s massive match expertise and high quality started to point out, as did Draper’s frustrations, because the Russian confidently claimed the subsequent two units and the match.

“In the third set I started to listen to my team and I started to also realise that, yeah, I was doing everything right,” mentioned Rublev. “I was playing well, I had everything under control. “I simply wanted to get again to that temper.”