Erste Bank Open: Andrey Rublev beats Lorenzo Sonego and takes first Vienna title
Andrey Rublev is the winner of this year's Erste Bank Open. The Russian didn't drop a set in the final either and defeated Lorenzo Sonego 6: 4 and 6: 4. It is already the fifth title of the season for the Russian.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Nov 01, 2020, 03:52 pm
By Michael Rothschädl from the Wiener Stadthalle
Andrey Rublev and Lorenzo Sonego were the last remaining players in the strong field of participants at the Erste Bank Open 2020. While the Russian was not completely surprising in the Vienna final due to his strong performances in recent weeks, the fact that he was there was should meet the Italian Sonego, a sensation.
Lorenzo Sonego had become a crowd favorite in the Wiener Stadthalle due to his strong performances and above all the victory over Novak Djokovic, and was loudly supported by the stands at the start of his second final. Nevertheless, it was the favorite Rublev who should set the first accents in this final. With a score of 2: 2, the 23-year-old benefited from two avoidable forehand errors by the Italian and got the break.
Rublev brings round one
For a long time the young Russian presented himself flawlessly on his own serve, but when Rublev served on winning the set, his nerves fluttered a little and Sonego came out of nowhere on two occasions on the rebreak. Even in this pressure situation, the world number eight remained offensive, was able to fend off both chances and after exactly 36 minutes came with a strong net advance to win the set.
Rublev, who had not lost a set in the entire tournament, also demonstrated in this final those virtues that had made him almost invincible in recent weeks. The Russian could always rely on his strong serve and dictated the game from the baseline with his powerful forehand. Lorenzo Sonego, on the other hand, could not fully build on the excellent performance of the last few days and ultimately made one or two mistakes too many.
Fifth title of the season for Rublev, first in Vienna
As in the first round, Andrey Rublev was able to increase the pressure on server Sonego in the fifth game of the second set. The Russian couldn't use a break ball. With his own serve, the 23-year-old, who did not suffer a single break in the entire course of the tournament, remained sovereign and did not even let Sonego near a break chance. When the score was 4: 4, the Russian shifted up a gear again, got three breakballs with strong returns, of which he knew how to use the second. With another sovereign service game, the world number eight was crowned Vienna Champion for the first time after exactly one hour and 18 minutes.
"Big thanks to the organizers, who organized the tournament superbly. That means a lot to us players," said the Russian in his speech to the winner. "Of course I would also like to thank all of the fans for their great support over the entire week." His grandmother was also Austrian, which is why it was a very special tournament for him. "It's a very special title for me."
Andrey Rublev has already won his fifth title in the current season. The Russian was able to win the last three ATP 500 tournaments in which he started and is now traveling as a co-favorite to the ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris-Bercy, where he is number five in the race will go. In addition, the world number eight has now officially qualified for the ATP finals of the season's best eight players.