Andrey Rublev Reveals What the Biggest Difficulty Is in Playing Against Jannik Sinner

Andrey Rublev‘s hopes of beating Jannik Sinner were dashed to pieces after just an hour and 32 minutes at the Foro Italico. The Russian star was seeking to reach the semi-finals of the Italian Open, but there was no obstacle for Sinner, who crushed him in just two sets at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Rome.

Rublev had revealed before the match that he was scared of his chances of beating Sinner. Sinner had not lost a match in 31 ties before their meeting and had just dropped two sets since March. The Italian star’s form had seen him win four consecutive ATP Masters 1000 titles this season, including the Monte Carlo Open.

Sinner had yet to drop a set in his previous matches before facing Rublev on Thursday (May 14). And led their head-to-head record 7-3. The last time Rublev defeated Sinner was at the 2024 Canadian Open in Toronto. The match kicked off with the crowd backing Sinner, but Rublev was slow to react to the Italian star’s level of display.

However, Rublev made the early exchanges competitive and produced flashes of creativity to test Sinner in the opening set, but the Italian star continued with his barrage of powerful forehand shots. Sinner wrapped up the first set with ease, only for Rublev to make it a bit difficult in the second set.

But it was already late as Sinner was in his best rhythm and looked confident on the court. The Italian star won 6-2, 6-4 to reach the semi-finals of the Italian Open for the second consecutive season. Speaking after the match, Rublev explained how difficult it is to find a way to beat Sinner on the court:

I would say the hardest thing is maintaining concentration to keep up your best level. You have to force him to make mistakes, but it takes a lot of concentration to be able to play at that level. In my case, I was playing well until 4-2 in the first set. Then, in the second set, he took the lead with a double break, which gave him even more confidence, more freedom, and more problems for me. I wasn’t thinking that I couldn’t beat him.

Rublev will now turn his focus to the Roland Garros following his exit from the Italian Open. Nonetheless, he will be confident going into the second Grand Slam of the season after reaching the final of the Barcelona Open and the quarter-finals of the Italian Open.

Jannik Sinner happy about his quarter-finals win at the Italian Open

Jannik Sinner has now joined Rafael Nadal as the only men to reach the semi-finals at the first five ATP Masters 1000 events of a season. Sinner has already captured the Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, and Madrid this year. He has now won 32 consecutive matches in ATP 1000-level tournaments, breaking Novak Djokovic’s 31-match winning streak.

Sinner last lost a match on tour at the Doha Open in February against Jakub Mensik in three sets. The 24-year-old has an opportunity to win the Italian Open for the first time in his career after coming short in the final last year against Carlos Alcaraz. During his on-court interview after beating Andrey Rublev, Sinner admitted that he’s happy with his performance and reaching the semi-finals:

He’s a very dangerous player. When he plays at his highest level, he’s very tough to beat. I felt like we both didn’t play at our best today, but the conditions are very tough here. So, I tried to adapt myself in the best possible way. I’m obviously very happy. It’s a very special tournament for me.

Sinner will face Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals of the Italian Open. Medvedev revealed that Sinner is not invincible and can be beaten on tour. He hopes to prove that on the court on Friday (May 15). Should Sinner win the Rome Masters, he would join Novak Djokovic as the only men to complete the Career Golden Masters.

Also Read: Jannik Sinner Makes Feelings Known on Breaking Novak Djokovic’s All-Time Record in Rome