NEW YORK, August 29. /TASS/. Russian tennis star Andrey Rublev sweated out a Round 2 win at the 2024 US Open, the year’s final Grand Slam event, and is now set to face off against Jiri Lehecka from the Czech Republic in the next round.
In a match that lasted deep into the night on Wednesday, Rublev snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in a five-set marathon that lasted over four hours against opponent Arthur Rinderknech from France 4-6; 5-7; 6-1; 6-2; 6-2.
According to ATP (the Association of Tennis Professionals) official data "It was Rublev’s second victory from two-sets-to-love down, having done so in the first round of Roland Garros in 2020 against [US tennis player] Sam Querrey."
Several news outlets reported later that Rublev suffered from stomach issues following his match against Rinderknech.
Sportskeeda sports web portal reported in particular citing Rublev as saying "Andrey Rublev’s momentum was disrupted by stomach issues during the fifth set, prompting him to call for a medical timeout."
"I drank too much, I ate too much, I feel like I have a little baby girl in my stomach," Sportskeeda reported citing Rublev as saying.
The Russian, who is playing at the tournament under a neutral status, will take on Lehecka in Round 3, who earlier also came back from two sets down to advance, defeating Mitchell Krueger 6-7; 0-6; 6-4; 6-4; 7-5.
Rublev, 26, is ranked 6th in the ATP World Rankings. He has won 16 ATP singles tournament titles in singles and four more in men’s doubles. He has also appeared in numerous Grand Slam tournaments, albeit never advancing beyond the quarterfinals. Rublev took home the gold at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo in mixed doubles (with teammate Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova) and also won the 2021 Davis Cup as part of the Russian national team.
The 2024 US Open is being held on outdoor hard courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York between August 26 and September 8. The tournament has $75 million in prize money up for grabs. Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff of the United States are the tournament's defending champions in men’s and women's singles, respectively.
Russian players’ neutral status at tennis tournaments
On February 28, 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments, citing Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.
Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February 2022, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) ruled on March 1, 2022 to suspend the membership of the Russian and Belarusian national tennis federations while also canceling all previously scheduled tennis tournaments in the two countries.
On March 14, 2022, the ITF also confirmed its prohibition of the Russian and Belarusian national tennis teams from the 2022 Davis Cup and 2022 Billie Jean King Cup.
However, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) allowed tennis players from Russia and Belarus to continue participating in WTA and ATP tournaments, but only under a neutral status.