Hong Kong Open 2024: Andrey Rublev vs Arthur Fils preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (1) Andrey Rublev vs (8) Arthur Fils
Date: January 5, 2024
Tournament: Hong Kong Open 2024
Round: Quarterfinal
Venue: Victoria Tennis Park Stadium, Hong Kong, China
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Outdoor hard
Prize money: $661,585
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN
Andrey Rublev vs Arthur Fils preview
Top seed Andrey Rublev will take on Arthur Fils in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Hong Kong Open on Friday.
After a first-round bye, Rublev faced Liam Broady in the second round. The Russian wasted no time in getting down to business as he consolidated an early break to lead 3-0 in the first set.
Rublev then stepped up to serve for the opener at 5-3, but got broken. However, he broke back in the following game to claim the set. He then overcame a 2-0 deficit in the second set to force a tie-break. The Russian saved three set points in it before coming out on top to win 6-4, 7-6 (8).
Fils started off with a three-set victory over Borno Gojo to book a second round date against Marc-Andrea Huesler. The Frenchman fell behind 5-2 in the first set, but stopped his opponent from serving out the set and even saved a set point.
Fils reeled off five straight games from that point on to take the set. He struck first in the second set to go 2-0 up, but Huesler managed to get back on serve down the line. The Frenchman ultimately did edge out his older adversary as he swept the last three games of the match to score a 7-5, 7-5 win.
Andrey Rublev vs Arthur Fils head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between them, hence the head-to-head stands at 0-0.
Andrey Rublev vs Arthur Fils odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Andrey Rublev vs Arthur Fils prediction
Rublev was tested by Broady in the previous round but managed to get the job done. His service stats were quite good as he fired 10 aces and won 82% of his first serve points. The Russian blasted a total of 32 winners against just 11 unforced errors.
There were plenty of momentum shifts for Fils in his match against Huesler, but he held his nerve to survive. Like his next opponent, the Frenchman also prefers to base his game around his powerful hitting. He's got a huge forehand and is always on the lookout for an opening to punish his opponents with it.
Rublev is now a veteran of the tour, while Fils is still finding his footing as he played his first full season on the ATP Tour just last year. But the teenager is a quick learner and already has a title to his name.
Fils has also shown that he can go toe-to-toe with higher-ranked opponents, with a 2-2 record against the top 10 players so far. The young Frenchman could make things difficult for Rublev, but the latter's experience could eventually sway the tide in his favor.
Pick: Andrey Rublev to win in three sets.