New York (AFP)
Russia's Andrey Rublev, ranked 43rd in the world, qualified for the second round of the US Open on Tuesday by eliminating Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (8th) 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (9/7) ), 7-5 after 3:54 of play.
The two men went to the end of their strength and it was the Greek who was the most diminished by cramps, in the right leg.
"I too had cramps, but I did not show it," said Rublev, who will face Frenchman Gilles Simon (40th), the American Bjorn Fratangelo's defender.
In the 4th inning, Tsitsipas seemed very handicapped by his right leg, visibly crippled by cramps. He even chose to extend his rest time during a change of side, even to provoke the referee.
"Give me a warning, I do not care!" threw Tsitsipas to the chair judge who ended up announcing a penalty point for passing time at the side change to 4-3 for Rublev in the 4th set.
The Russian started his service game at 15-0 to lead 5-3. Tsitsipas fought to the end but was no longer physically able to fight.
At 21, Rublev won only one ATP tournament in 2017 in Umag (Croatia), but he eliminated Roger Federer in the 8th finals of the Masters 1000 Cincinnati.
© 2019 AFP