Andrey Rublev Russian national did not get everything he wanted in the opening match of the Barcelona Open in the 2021 season.
The third seed has often been frustrated by the play of Italian lucky loser Federico Gaio and the tension of the rope from his racket on his way to winning 6-4, 6-3 in 84 minutes.
“Today (21/4) focuses more on mental battles,” admitted Andrey Rublev.
“This is the way I behave after the things I tried to do in Monte Carlo. I won, that’s the most important thing, but I did feel angry. When you are not thinking, you always try to make excuses, but I have to control my emotions.”
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The tennis player, who reached the final of the first Masters 1000 tournament of his career at the Monte Carlo Open last week, raised the level of play when needed and with the win over Gaio, he is now 25-5 in the 2021 season, including winning his eighth career title at the Rotterdam Open last month (beat Marton Fucsovics).
The world number 7 was below the best level in the first set that lasted 41 minutes, including when she had to secure two break point chances at 4-4 before claiming victory in the first set.
Entering the second set, Rublev and Gaio exchanged break services before the 23-year-old won the last three games to qualify for the third round of the Barcelona Open.
The 2021 Monte Carlo Open runners-up will have a clash against the host’s Albert Ramos Vinolas, who overthrew French national Adrian Mannarino 6-4 6-4 after 82 minutes.
So far Rublev has been leading in head to head against Ramos Vinolas by 2-1, but this season’s Barcelona Open third round match will be their first encounter in a clay-court tournament.
In another action that brought together two young tennis players, the Canadian national, Felix Auger Aliassime had to fight all out to knock out the Italian national, Lorenzo Musetti with 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 in 2 hours 5 minutes.
Thanks to the win, tenth seed Auger Aliassime will challenge compatriot and seventh seed Denis Shapovalov for a place in the Barcelona Open quarter-finals. The pair’s head to head drew 2-2, but Auger Aliassime won their last meeting at the 2021 Australian Open.
