Rublev defeats Bergs, to meet old foe in second round

Rublev defeated Bergs on Tuesday to extend his stay at the AMRO Open in Rotterdam.

It was an impressive start to the season for Andriy Rublev where the former champion moved past Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs 7-5, 6-3 to set a second-round meeting with Felix Auger-Aliassime.

The World No. 5 player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings hit with clean timing from the baseline throughout the 82-minute clash in Rotterdam. Rublev waited patiently for his chances on return, gaining the decisive break of the first set in the 12th game, before he raised his intensity and power in the second set to advance.

It was not easy,” Rublev said. “It was my first match here and I only had one day to practise, so I didn’t really feel comfortable yet. I was a bit more tight and nervous but in the second set I started to feel better and in the end I was able to win in straight sets.”

Rublev will renew his Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry with Auger-Aliassime on Wednesday in a battle between two former champions. Rublev, who leads the Canadian 3-1, won the title in Rotterdam in 2021. Auger-Aliassime triumphed at the ATP 500 in 2022.

Rublev now holds a 9-1 record on the season, having clinched his 15th tour-level title in Hong Kong. He also advanced to the quarter-finals at the Australian Open, where he fell to eventual champion Jannik Sinner.

Jan-Lennard Struff also advanced, beating Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(4). The big-serving German fired 16 aces and won 86 per cent (49/57) of his first-serve points to triumph after two hours and 28 minutes. The World No. 25 will next meet Ugo Humbert or Emil Ruusuvuori.