Jan-Lennard Struff recorded his first Top 10 win at a Grand Slam on Tuesday by upsetting seventh-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev 6-3, 7-6(6), 4-6, 3-6, 6-4 over three hours and 46 minutes in the Roland Garros first round.
"It was definitely a very, very tough match," said Struff. "I played Andrey twice this year [at the ATP Cup and the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome], lost twice in three sets, played twice a very good first set, but I couldn't get the job done.
"Today I managed to beat him. [It] was very, very close. He fought back... [and] I'm very happy I won 6-4 in the fifth [set]. It's a huge win for me [at] a Grand Slam against a Top 10 player."
The German struck 63 winners, including 25 aces, to set up a clash against Argentine Facundo Bagnis in Paris. Earlier this month, the 31-year-old advanced to his first ATP Tour final at the BMW Open in Munich (l. to Basilashvili) and has an 8-6 on clay this year.
Rublev, placed in 13-time champion Rafael Nadal's quarter of the draw, had been considered one of a handful of players prior to the Grand Slam championship that were seen as a potential threat to the Spaniard. Rublev beat Nadal en route to his first ATP Masters 1000 final in April at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters (l. to Tsitsipas).
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Struff played aggressive tennis throughout the first set, gaining an early break before winning 93 per cent of his first-service points and striking 11 winners as he overpowered Rublev from all areas of the court.
Rublev began to gain momentum at the start of the second set, using his backhand to open up the court and enable him to dictate with his forehand. The Russian struck 16 forehand winners in the set. The 23-year-old took a 5-3 lead, but Struff managed to break back, as he hammered a forehand winner into the corner before he sealed the tie-break with an ace.
Could Rublev make his second comeback from two-sets-to-love down? Struff continued to target Rublev’s second serve in the third set, but it was the World No. 7 who made the breakthrough, driving a forehand through Struff at the net to move 4-3 ahead. Rublev clinched the set when Struff struck a forehand long.
As the fourth set wore on, Struff’s first serve percentage dropped to just 44 as he showed signs of weariness. Rublev capitalised on this, dominating play on the return with his great depth of shot to breaking twice to move level. However, Struff, who had won his previous six five-set matches, managed to regain his focus and energy, firing a backhand cross court to break early in the decider en route to the ninth Top 10 win of his career (9-25 lifetime).
Rublev, who hit 65 winners against Struff, helped Russia claim the ATP Cup title and went on to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals (l. to Medvedev). The 23-year-old is currently 29-9 on the season.
"Of course I was thinking that I would like to come back from 0-2 [sets down]," said Rublev. "In the fifth set, I was a bit unlucky."
"It was definitely a very, very tough match," said Struff. "I played Andrey twice this year [at the ATP Cup and the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome], lost twice in three sets, played twice a very good first set, but I couldn't get the job done.
"Today I managed to beat him. [It] was very, very close. He fought back... [and] I'm very happy I won 6-4 in the fifth [set]. It's a huge win for me [at] a Grand Slam against a Top 10 player."
The German struck 63 winners, including 25 aces, to set up a clash against Argentine Facundo Bagnis in Paris. Earlier this month, the 31-year-old advanced to his first ATP Tour final at the BMW Open in Munich (l. to Basilashvili) and has an 8-6 on clay this year.
Rublev, placed in 13-time champion Rafael Nadal's quarter of the draw, had been considered one of a handful of players prior to the Grand Slam championship that were seen as a potential threat to the Spaniard. Rublev beat Nadal en route to his first ATP Masters 1000 final in April at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters (l. to Tsitsipas).
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Struff played aggressive tennis throughout the first set, gaining an early break before winning 93 per cent of his first-service points and striking 11 winners as he overpowered Rublev from all areas of the court.
Rublev began to gain momentum at the start of the second set, using his backhand to open up the court and enable him to dictate with his forehand. The Russian struck 16 forehand winners in the set. The 23-year-old took a 5-3 lead, but Struff managed to break back, as he hammered a forehand winner into the corner before he sealed the tie-break with an ace.
Could Rublev make his second comeback from two-sets-to-love down? Struff continued to target Rublev’s second serve in the third set, but it was the World No. 7 who made the breakthrough, driving a forehand through Struff at the net to move 4-3 ahead. Rublev clinched the set when Struff struck a forehand long.
As the fourth set wore on, Struff’s first serve percentage dropped to just 44 as he showed signs of weariness. Rublev capitalised on this, dominating play on the return with his great depth of shot to breaking twice to move level. However, Struff, who had won his previous six five-set matches, managed to regain his focus and energy, firing a backhand cross court to break early in the decider en route to the ninth Top 10 win of his career (9-25 lifetime).
Rublev, who hit 65 winners against Struff, helped Russia claim the ATP Cup title and went on to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals (l. to Medvedev). The 23-year-old is currently 29-9 on the season.
"Of course I was thinking that I would like to come back from 0-2 [sets down]," said Rublev. "In the fifth set, I was a bit unlucky."