Andrey Rublev in action© AFP
The world’s number of the world, Andrey Rublev, has entered the Barcelona Open in the last 16 times with a 6-1, 6-3 victory against Jong Jong on Monday. The Russian was in bad shape recently with a single victory in its previous four events in single, but did a light job from De Jong, the 94th. Rublev, who recently hired former world number one Marat Safin as a coach, was broken in the fifth game, but won the other six to claim the first set with ease. The 27-year-old broke for a 3-2 advance in the second set and once again when De Jong went for a long time to seal his victory.
The earlier Holger Rune sent a Spanish veteran retired Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-5, 6-4.
The Danish player, ranked 13th, withdrew from the Monsteurs of Monte Carlo last week with food poisoning, but returned strongly to Barcelona, hitting 28 winners.
“I was very pumped to take a good start after a difficult week in Monaco,” said Rune.
“I am happy to feel healthy, it is an incredible feeling first of all, I am not struggling with anything.”
The world number two Carlos Alcaraz begins his candidacy for a third title of Barcelona Open Tuesday when he faces American Ethan Quinn, at the back of his first title of Monte Carlo.
The second seeded and the winner last year, Casper Ruud, is in action against Daniel Elahi Galan, while Stefanos Tsisipas faces Reilly Opelka.
(With the exception of the title, this story has not been published by NDTV staff and is published from a unionized flow.)
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