Tennis
Rublev lost to a huge Pole. Rewarded for a boorish act?
Andrey Rublev / Photo: © Fred Lee / Contributor / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru
Andrey lost the most important match, missing the chance to become the fourth racket in the world.
Despite the relative failures at the Grand Slam tournaments, this year is still a breakthrough for Andrei Rublev.
The second final of the Masters category competition of the season could again become triumphant for Andrey. His flawless performance in Shanghai made Rublev the favorite in the match against Hubert Hurkacz.
However, the Pole appeared as a monster, incinerating with his first serve.
Perfect delivery
The road to the final of the ATP 1000 tournament in Shanghai was pleasant for Rublev. Andrey confidently passed all his opponents without losing a single set. Even in the semifinals against his friend Grigor Dimitrov, our athlete won in two games, although this game can be called the most difficult for Rublev in the net.
By almost all statistical estimates, Andrei was the favorite. He is ahead of the Pole in the ranking by 10 positions, and besides, he won the previous two head-to-head matches. The main thing, and almost the only thing in which the opponent in the final is superior to Rublev, is serving. With a height of 196 cm, you shouldn’t be surprised by Hurkacz’s most powerful aces.
Actually, he played the first set in a way that could only have been imagined in Rublev’s worst dream: a deadly and accurate serve did not allow Andrey to cling to other people’s games. At the same time, Andrey confidently won games on his serve at first.
The rallies during the Pole’s games, as a rule, lasted no more than two or three hits: Hubert serves, Andrei, if he receives, it is not into the court. It became clear that with such a percentage of first serve hits, Rublev had minimal chances of winning the title.
In the sixth game, Rublev faltered and gave the Pole three break points, which was enough for him to gain a solid advantage in the opening game: 4:2. Rublev was noticeably nervous, kicked the court several times and behaved provocatively. But was it ever different? Our tennis player knows how to excite himself and the audience, but for the final he needs something more.
The Pole held his serve and won the first set – 6:3. The Russian lost a game for the first time in Shanghai and looked confused.
Another Rublev
After the break, our player came out with a different attitude, gave out three aces on the move and took his game to zero. This confidence had an effect on the opponent. Although Hurkacz continued to have a good ball entry, Rublev found a way to improve his move, which led to Andrey’s first break point of the match. The Russian did not squander his chance – 2:0.
The Olympic champion strengthened his advantage with his serve. Now everything was in Rublev’s hands: both the second game and the entire match. It must be admitted that from that moment on, the 25-year-old tennis player carefully and confidently played almost all the rallies, and even backed it up with a high-quality serve. Hubert had few chances in such a game, so Andrey easily made a mirror response – 3:6, 6:3.
Boorish behavior
The most comical moment of the match occurred before the second game of the deciding set. The ballboys slipped Rublev balls, which our player refused to serve. He was so indignant that even the judge came down from the tower and went to solve the problem himself: he manually sorted out and put several balls on Andrei’s racket.
In the second game, Rublev was behind 15:40, but finished every rally, for which he was rewarded with a break point. This time it was not possible to convert the opportunity – the Pole left the game behind him with two good serves.
The local failure agitated Andrei, so that he began to lose his temper again. Although Rublev basically never stopped talking to the coach. And with the score 4:5 on his serve, Andrei allowed Hurkac to earn a match point, although the Pole had just lost 15:40.
At that moment, the audience saw the peak of Rublev’s aggression, who, having lost the rally, purposefully ran to the photographers’ place of work and yelled at one of the Chinese – he, in Andrei’s opinion, moved too much in the midst of the game, which greatly disturbed the Russian. The amazed photographer couldn’t even say anything.
Naturally, Rublev received a warning from the referee, but this benefited the player. Andrey collected himself and took the serve – 5:5. The finale ended according to the laws of the best dramatic film. At the beginning of the tie-break, the Russian made a mini-break, but failed to bring the matter to the final victory.
Hurkacz regained the advantage and got his chance to win – his second in this final. Then another one. But Rublev, with titanic efforts, pulled the Pole’s serve, which reached 220 km/h. The game went on until the next mistake, which, unfortunately, was made by Rublev – 3:6, 6:3, 6:7 (8:10).
Andrei lost the most important final of the Masters and was unable to achieve the best achievement in his career – the Russian has not yet become the fourth racket in the world.
Source: Sportbox
I am a sports journalist who has written for a number of Sportish. I have a background in journalism and have been writing since I was young. My main focus is sports news, but I also write about general news. I am currently working as an author at Sportish.
The Russian tennis player became the main character of Adelaide.
Mirra Andreeva started the 2026 season as confidently as possible. Early on Saturday morning, the 18-year-old Russian won the WTA 500 tournament in Adelaide, beating Canadian Victoria Mboko in the final. The match turned out to be fleeting, but revealing – 6:3, 6:1 in 1 hour 4 minutes.
The Russian started the tournament as the eighth racket in the world and looked collected and calm all week. The victory in Australia was the fourth in her career at the WTA level and a good benchmark before the start of the Australian Open. Mboko, ranked 17th in the rankings, also approached the final in excellent form, but at the decisive moment it was Andreeva who was more stable and accurate.
How the final match unfolded
The start of the meeting was left to the Canadian. Mboko immediately set a high pace, actively went on the attack and quickly took a 3:0 lead. At these moments, Andreeva made inaccuracies, missed forehand shots and did not immediately catch the desired rhythm.
The turning point came after the Russian confidently took her serve and then made a reverse break. From that moment on, the match took a completely different scenario. Andreeva began to load her opponent in the corners more often, added variety and stopped rushing in rallies. A series of inaccuracies by Mboko and a double mistake on a break point by her opponent allowed Mirra to take the lead – 4:3.
The ending of the first set was controlled by the Russian. A shortened shot, another break and an accurate backhand into the right corner – 6:3 in favor of Andreeva.
In the second set, the intrigue did not last long. Mirra immediately took her serve, then scored a break and quickly went ahead – 3:0. Mboko managed to take one game, but this was the Canadian’s only success in the second game. Andreeva acted without fuss, confidently kept the ball in the court and brought the match to victory – 6:1.
The final was completed in 64 minutes. Andreeva made one ace, made one double fault and converted five out of 10 break points. Mboko hit two straight serves, made three service errors and used the only break point she managed to earn during the match. In terms of key indicators, the Russian’s advantage looked convincing.
In the semi-finals, Andreeva beat Diana Schneider with a score of 6:3, 6:2, not allowing her compatriot to force a protracted fight. Mboko, in turn, confidently beat Australian Kimberly Birrell – 6:2, 6:1. The final looked like a logical conclusion to the tournament, but it was Mirra who looked most ready in it.
“I don’t even understand why you’re here.”
After the match, Andreeva came out for an interview in a great mood. She first congratulated Mboko and her team, noting the Canadian’s progress and strong tournament week. Mirra then thanked her team for their hard work and tough training.
— Congratulations to Vicky and her team. You have been showing amazing tennis since last year. I want to celebrate your great week and congratulate you on it. I hope there are many more finals together in the future. I don’t know, it’s probably my team’s turn next, but I feel that all this is primarily thanks to me. I don’t even know what to say. I’ve trained a lot, worked a lot, sweated a lot, and honestly, I don’t even understand why you’re here. No, of course I’m joking.
Thanks to Conchita and Agut for pushing me to the limit, making me work every day. Thanks to Alexey for sparring with me every day and sometimes even driving me crazy. And yes, thanks to my friends who came and supported me at every match I played. And, of course, thanks to my mother – she is always there for me and always provides me with great support. So a big thank you to my team,” Mirra said in an on-court interview.
The most memorable part of the interview was the self-irony. Andreeva thanked herself several times – for her courage, for her work in training and for being able to change her thinking and fight until the last rally. It is no coincidence that she gave interviews wearing a T-shirt with the inscription “I want to say thank you to myself.”
The title in Adelaide was Mirra Andreeva’s fourth in her career and first in the 2026 season. Now the Russian woman will perform at the Australian Open, where she goes as the winner of the WTA 500 tournament and with confident play.
Source: Sportbox
I am a sports journalist who has written for a number of Sportish. I have a background in journalism and have been writing since I was young. My main focus is sports news, but I also write about general news. I am currently working as an author at Sportish.
Tennis player Daria Kasatkina, who previously represented Russia, received a certificate of Australian citizenship.
On social networks, the athlete published a photo with the corresponding document.
In March 2025, Kasatkina announced that she would represent Australia at the competition. At recent tournaments she competed under the Australian flag.
Kasatkina is 28 years old, a native of Togliatti, ranked 48th in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings, and has eight victories in WTA singles tournaments.
Source: Sportbox
I am a sports journalist who has written for a number of Sportish. I have a background in journalism and have been writing since I was young. My main focus is sports news, but I also write about general news. I am currently working as an author at Sportish.
Tennis
“Thank me for my courage” – Andreeva thanked herself after winning the final of the tennis tournament in Adelaide
Russian Mirra Andreeva gave an unusual comment on the court after winning the final of the WTA 500 tournament in Adelaide (Australia).
The first racket of Russia Andreeva beat Canadian Victoria Mboko in the final with a score of 6:3, 6:1. In the first set, the 18-year-old Russian woman fought back from a 0:3 score.
“Now I need to thank my team.” But I think I did everything myself. I trained and worked hard. I don’t know why you came with me! Just kidding, of course. Thank you for making me work, sometimes through anger, but you always support me. And thank you for being brave in the matches. Thank you for being able to change my mood,” The Tennis Letter quotes Andreeva.
Andreeva won her first title this season.
Source: Sportbox
I am a sports journalist who has written for a number of Sportish. I have a background in journalism and have been writing since I was young. My main focus is sports news, but I also write about general news. I am currently working as an author at Sportish.
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