Rublev's Roland-Garros Title Defense Cut Short by Struff
Andrey Rublev vs Jan-Lennard Struff: A Match of Big Hitters
Struff Stuns Seventh Seed Rublev in First Round Upset
Tennis fans around the world witnessed a stunning upset at the Roland-Garros tournament as German powerhouse Jan-Lennard Struff eliminated seventh seed Andrey Rublev in the opening round. Struff's powerful serves and aggressive baseline play proved too much for Rublev, who was looking to replicate his heroic first-round performance from the previous year.
Rublev came into the match as the favorite, having reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open earlier this year. Struff, on the other hand, had failed to reach the third round of a Grand Slam since 2019.
However, it was Struff who controlled the match from the outset. The German fired down 19 aces and won 70% of his first-serve points, keeping Rublev under constant pressure. The Russian struggled to find his rhythm and made a number of unforced errors, allowing Struff to take a 6-3, 7-6(6), 4-6, 3-6, 6-4 victory.
Juergen Hasenkopf Photography Photoshelter
Juergen Hasenkopf Photography Photoshelter
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