Andrey Rublev played unbelievable Tennis in the fifth set in one of the greatest comebacks in history to knockout Holger Rune, and progress to the quarterfinals.
Andrey Rublev produced one of the greatest comebacks in tennis history in the fifth set against Holger Rune, winning 6-3 3-6 6-3 4-6 7-6(11-9) to reach the quarterfinal in Melbourne.
Rublev came back from 2-5 in the fifth set, saved two match points at 5-6 *15-40, and then came back from 0-5 2-6 and 3-7 in the match tiebreak to win the deciding set.
Match breakdown
Rublev won the first set easily 6-3, as Rune played weirdly flat for most of the match. The second set saw Rune with the first break, serving and returning much better to win the set 3-6.
With the match going into the third set, Rublev had the first breakthrough at 4-2 and eventually won it 6-3, with one set away from a second Australian Open quarterfinal.
However, Rune got his acts together, though having three winners and 15 unforced errors, had a couple of great returns and a double fault from Rublev to serve at 4-2.
The Dane got broken when serving for the fourth, had set point at 5-4, and after 2 hours 33 minutes of play and a second set point, he won 6-4 forcing a fifth and deciding set against the No. 6 seed.
In the fifth set, Rublev holds from 0-40 to 1-1, Rune got the break, and after a series of horrendous serves by the Dane, he got broken at love for 5-4*
Rublev drew for 5-5 from 2-5 down, saved two match points, and held from 15-40 to force a fifth set match tiebreak.
Rune was 4-0 up after the tiebreak, then 5-0, Rublev came back for 5-3, and Rune turned it around again for 7-3 and then 7-5 before Rublev drew level 7-7. Rune saved two match points for 9-9 and then another match tiebreak which Rublev sealed for 9-11 to win the classic match.
A brutal loss for Rune, but Rublev will marvel at his victory, which sees him advance to his second Australian Open round of eight and seventh Grand Slam quarterfinals.