It was Liam Broady’s 30th birthday, but Andrey Rublev played party thrasher.
The top-seeded Rublev beat Broady 6-4, 7-6(8) in his Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open opener.
Rublev ripped 32 winners—nine more than the British qualifier—and converted three of 10 break-point chances in a one hour, 50-minute triumph.
Empowered by a career-high 56 wins in 2023, Rublev was eager to enact a positive start to 2024.
“It was a really tough match, Liam played really well,” said the 26-year old Rublev. “Liam was coming from the qualies, and won the first round, so he was feeling good in those conditions.
“For me it was the first match, it is always tough, it’s always nervous in the first match of the season, you want to have a great game. It was really a tough second set and I am happy that I was able to win in two sets.”
Rublev’s win sets up a highly-anticipated quarterfinal match with teenage sensation Arthur Fils tomorrow night beneath the bright lights on Centre Court.
In today’s second match on Centre Court, Fils defeated Swiss qualifier Marc-Andrea Huesler in the first ever meeting between the pair, 7-5, 7-5.
“I played a very good match against a very good opponent today. He’s playing very aggressive, but I managed to play some great passing shots and some great returns. Felt pretty good today, let’s see about tomorrow,” said Fils, the highest ranked men’s teenager in the world at World No.36.
ATP Newcomer of the Year Fils knows he’s in for a hard-hitting battle against Rublev.
“Rublev, he’s top 5,” Fils said. “A great champion, it will be a tough match for sure.”
Austria’s Sebastian Ofner edged fifth-seeded German Jan-Lennard Struff on Court 1, 7-6(4), 7-6(5), 7-6(2).
Ofner will next play Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarterfinals tomorrow afternoon on Centre Court.
The veteran Bautista Agut dissected fourth-seeded Argentinean Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-3.
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