‘That Win Over Rog’: Rublev Reflects On ’19 Epic

As Qualifier, Baseliner Stunned Federer To Reach QF

By Richard Osborn

Andrey Rublev has some serious bragging rights. I mean, how many people can say they are undefeated against Roger Federer?

Rublev, 27, was but a lowly qualifier at the 2019 Cincinnati Open, a fiery, frowzled baseliner with an explosive forehand but a world ranking well outside the Top 50. Federer, meanwhile, was a transcendent force with some 20 major singles titles to his credit; the epitome of Swiss perfection, who for more than a decade-and-a-half had his opponents on the ropes before he’d even left the locker room.

However, in what would be his lone career encounter with Federer, Rublev stunned the record seven-time tournament titlist in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, in the third round. A joyfully tearful Rublev, who wasn’t even slated to play in Cincinnati until he was added to the qualifying draw as an alternate in the eleventh hour, would call it “the biggest and the most emotional win” of his career.

“He was everywhere,” marveled Federer, the Cincinnati Open winner in 2005, 2007, 2009-10, 2012, and 2014-15.

“In my head, I was just trying not to look at my team, not to look at the score, not to look at Roger,” confessed Rublev, who also stunned a multi-Grand Slam winner in Stan Wawrinka, 6-4, 6-4, in the second round.

On Tuesday afternoon at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, Rublev, through to the Round of 16 for the second year in a row, paused to reflect on that epic upset.

“Every week, he had to prove that he was one of the best, and every week he had a lot of pressure. It’s like, if you reach the final, it’s normal. If you lose before that, it’s breaking news. ‘Roger lost!’ Maybe there was a couple of tournaments, very rare tournaments, in one or two years that he lost a bit early, kind of like what we’re seeing now with Sinner and Alcaraz. It’s not easy. Me? I’m losing in the first round many times. So, I had huge respect for Roger.”

Rublev, now No. 11 in the PIF ATP Rankings, says he’s been searching for a way again to play as freely as he did against Federer; the ability to take the court and play as though he has nothing to lose.

“That match, it kind of showed me my potential, because I was not even thinking about how to play. I was not thinking about anything. I was just kind of, ‘Okay, let’s play, let’s fight, let’s try to win, give my best and we’ll see what happens.’ I was able to play in a good mindset. I felt like, ‘If I do things right, this is maybe my potential.’ That’s what I’m looking for now. I’m trying to achieve that mindset where nothing at all was disturbing me and I was able to play unbelievable tennis.”

Rublev, the ninth seed, will face Argentine Francisco Comesana on Court 3 on Wednesday (not before 5 p.m.) for a shot at the 2025 Cincinnati Open quarterfinals.