Rublev Rolls Past Sandgren In Miami
Andrey Rublev dropped only three games on his way to the third round at the Miami Open presented by Itau, cruising past against Tennys Sandgren 6-1, 6-2 in a rain-interrupted clash on Saturday
The fourth seed has been one of the world’s most in-form players, and he extended his Tour-leading wins count to 17 on the year after his Miami opener.
Rublev’s controlled aggression was on display from the start on Grandstand at Hard Rock Stadium. The Russian No. 2 took the lead at 3-1 after converting his fourth break point, outlasting Sandgren in a marathon eight-minute game. But he needed just 59 seconds to consolidate to love with powerful first serves, and Rublev didn’t leave any openings for Sandgren as he closed out the opening set.
The fourth seed did not face a break point during the match, and he kept the American under pressure in the second as he created break opportunities in three of his four service games. After taking a 5-2 lead with a double break, Rublev was made to wait to serve out the match as rain halted play in Miami. But he didn’t miss a beat upon resumption, coming back about an hour later to seal the victory after 64 minutes on court.
[WATCH LIVE 1]The victory sends Rublev into the third round, equalling his previous best result in Miami. He awaits the winner of No. 29 seed Marton Fucsovics and Thanasi Kokkinakis with an eye on reaching the fourth round for the first time.
The 23-year-old arrived in South Florida looking to make his mark at the ATP Masters 1000 level, where he has not yet advanced past the quarter-finals. He’s been on song since the start of the season, adding an ATP Cup trophy for Russia and an ATP 500 title in Rotterdam to his cabinet.