Rublev tames Bublik fightback to reach Wimbledon quarters

London — Andrey Rublev reaching the quarterfinals is one of the most predictable outcomes at a Grand Slam but there was nothing remotely routine about his five-set win over Alexander Bublik, his fourth-round opponent at Wimbledon on Sunday.

Rublev, who has now reached the quarters eight times at the Grand Slams but has never made the last four, was seemingly cruising into the last eight when he took the first two sets on Centre Court.

Yet his Kazakh opponent conjured a way back into the contest and ensured it went the distance before seventh-seed Rublev wrapped up a 7-5 6-3 6-7(6) 6-7(5) 6-4 victory.

Had the Russian lost it would have been a bitter pill to swallow, having been two points away from victory in the third set tiebreak, passed up two match points in the fourth and led 5-3 in the second breaker only to lose four points in a row.

Having secured a decisive break to go 5-3 up in the fifth, Rublev pulled off one of the most remarkable shots of the tournament so far with a diving forehand winner to bring up match point and then banged down an ace to finish the contest.

“Probably it was the most lucky shot ever,” he said in his on-court interview. “I don't think I can do it [the shot] one more time.”

Rublev could be known as Mr Quarterfinal at the Grand Slams and his victory ensured he will now have a full set of last-eight appearances at the majors, having never reached that stage at Wimbledon before.

Whether he can go one step further for the first time is a feat few will fancy him achieving at Wimbledon.

Unseeded Russian Roman Safiullin reached his maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal when he secured a shock 3-6 6-3 6-1 6-3 win over Denis Shapovalov. 

Safiullin looked out for the count after Shapovalov made a strong start to the fourth-round tie but he weathered the storm and his steady approach paid dividends as a misfiring serve and injury issues led to his opponent self-destructing.

“I don’t think I realised it before, but going to the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time, then to a fourth round and now to the quarterfinals, I’m super happy,” Safiullin said. “I hope Denis can recover soon.”

Canadian 26th-seed Shapovalov raced through the first set before Safiullin hit back to break in the sixth game of the second set courtesy of a double fault, an advantage he would not relinquish.

After the match was all square, Shapovalov committed two more double faults in a dismal start to the third set as Safiullin broke and then held to love for a 2-0 lead. Minutes later Safiullin had a 4-1 double-break after yet another double fault from Shapovalov, the seventh of 11.

The situation went from bad to worse for Shapovalov in the fourth set when he appeared to aggravate an injury to his left leg, which left him hobbling about in pain and struggling to cover the court. He was quickly put out of his misery by the Russian, who broke and then closed out the victory on serve.

Safiullin becomes just the 12th man to reach the quarterfinals on his Wimbledon main-draw debut. The 92nd-ranked Russian next faces Italian eighth-seed Jannik Sinner, who beat Colombia’s Daniel Galan 7-6 6-4 6-3. 

Reuters