‘Giant Slayer’ Andrey Rublev serves Novak Djokovic a bagel to win the Serbia Open 2022
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Andrey Rublev and Novak Djokovic
World No.8 and the 2nd seed at the Serbia Open 2022, Andrey Rublev picks up his first win over the World No. 1 Novak Djokovic as the Russian beats the local boy in the finals. Rublev won the match 6-2, 6-7(7), 6-0 after a 2 hour 27 minute battle on the Center Court of the Novak Tennis Center in Belgrade.
In a rare sighting, Djokovic was served a bagel as he could not hold up to the in-form Russian who despite a tough second set had enough left in his tank to ruthlessly claim the third set and the title of the tournament. It was the 13th time Novak had been served a bagel and it was the first time since the 2019 Rome Masters when Rafael Nadal had done it to the Serbian.
It was the first final of the season for Novak in his third tournament while Rublev was playing his 8th tournament and was into his third final already having won both of his previous two finals. Novak’s lack of match time this season was clearly on display but going from a second-round defeat in Monte-Carlo to finishing as the runner-up, it was certainly a great week for Novak whose main goal remains defending his title at the 2022 French Open.
Novak hit 7 aces, made 5 double faults, saved 6 of the 12 breakpoints and won 82 points from the 182 points that were contested. Rublev hit 6 aces, made 4 double faults and saved 8 of the 9 breakpoints that were on offer for the Serbian to win 106 points in the match as he took the title.
Novak Djokovic to take a week’s break
Djokovic will now play in the upcoming 2022 Madrid Masters after taking a week’s break from the next week’s events scheduled in Estoril and Munich. Rublev will also join Novak in Madrid where he will look to claim his 4th title of the season.
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Sarthak Shitole
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