Mubadala World Tennis Championship: Andrey Rublev reaches final after beating Denis Shapovalov in three-set thriller
Top seed Andrey Rublev sealed his place in the final of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship by defeating Denis Shapovalov 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-4 on Friday in a thrilling contest that went on for more than two hours.
Rublev was quick out of the blocks and put pressure on the Shapovalov serve in the fourth game. However, the Canadian saved five break points to take the game and level the scores at 2-2.
Both players held serve comfortably over the rest of the set, forcing a tie-break. Rublev secured the decisive mini-break to claim the first set.
Shapovalov started the second set well, earning the first break of the match in the second game to go 2-0 up. Rublev had a chance to break back when the Canadian was serving for the set, but Shapovalov held his nerve and leveled the match with an ace.
Shapovalov had a chance to break early in the decider but failed to convert. Both players held their respective serves until the 10th game, when Rublev earned a matchpoint. Shapovalov then gifted the Russian the win with a double fault.
Speaking after the match, Rublev said coming through a tough match would hold him in good stead for the start of the 2022 season.
"We always play matches like these, battles, great battes, three sets, dramatic thriller, even here at an exhibition tournament. It was a very close match and these kinds of matches are really important before the upcoming season and that's why we are here and this is what we are looking for," Rublev said.
Andrey Rublev will face either Rafael Nadal or Andy Murray in the final of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship
After surviving a massive scare against Shapovalov, Rublev could be set for another stern challenge against either Andy Murray or Rafael Nadal in the final. Shapovalov, meanwhile, will take on the loser of the Murray-Nadal match in the third-place playoff.
Rublev and Nadal have faced off thrice, with the Spaniard leading the head-to-head 2-1. The World No. 5 has faced Murray twice so far, winning their most recent encounter in Rotterdam earlier this year.