WATCH: Andrey Rublev ends Taylor Fritz’s clay title hopes in Monte Carlo
Taylor Fritz misses out on the chance to claim his first-ever title on clay after his Monte Carlo journey ended at the hands of Andrey Rublev in the semi-final on Saturday.
Rublev put up an incredible performance under the harsh conditions that were unmatched by his American opponent. The Russian shattered Fritz’s title push with a 5-7, 6-1, 6-3 in two hours and 11 minutes, which saw the fifth seed claim his spot in the final.
“I don’t know, just to survive. I mean, I guess when the conditions are cold, then it’s more about physical and endurance because it’s tougher to hit a winner,” said Rublev when asked how he dealt with the challenging weather.
“You need to have patience. You need to wait for the right moment because when the weather is like this, it’s much tougher to hit a winner, and the ball is much heavier, so it’s tougher sometimes to control.”
Rublev went down in the first set but managed to reset and focus on the next point, which ultimately carried him to the victory.
“So, well, no, I get pissed off the court, first of all. No, but off the court, when I went to the bathroom, I got pissed. Then I don’t know, I say: okay again, good job your head is so good, because of your head again, one more semi-final you lost, and I say okay and then I start to play better.” said Rublev when asked about how he felt after losing the first set.
“I don’t know; I was super tight. I was thinking for sure he will do four aces, then he’s gonna be three, and if I lose myself, I don’t have time to come back,” said Rublev when asked about what he and his team focused on during the rain delay.
“Then I started to feel he’s [Fritz] a bit tight because he feels its middle of the set and its love, 30. I think it helped me a bit, and then I played well.”
Fritz and Rublev have faced each other seven times, with the American winning their last three matches prior to their semi-final.
“I started really well and then I was up a break and then he broke me back, but I knew I would have chances. In the end we had a great match and I am pleased with the win.” said Fritz
The American star struggled to cope with the harsh conditions and felt they played a significant role in his defeat.
“I just think the conditions in general were tough. It was super cold. You know, people probably don’t realize how big of a difference it can make. I felt like the ball compared to yesterday just wasn’t really going anywhere, so we were playing much longer points,” Fritz said.
The American showed remarkable sportsmanship after the pair embraced at the net, stating that he wants Rublev to take home the title.
“Go win it. Win it all. Go win.” said Fritz
Rublev will face Holger Rune in the final later today after the Danish star claimed a 6-1, 5-7, 5-7 victory over Jannik Sinner in their semi-final on Saturday.
READ MORE: Watch: Holger Rune fights back from the brink against Jannik Sinner to book first Monte Carlo final
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