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Alexander Bublik booked his place in the round of 64 after defeating Daniel Elahi Gala at the Madrid Open – an impressive performance from both stars who put in impressive displays of integrity.
The Stars had only met once going into this matchup, with Bublik claiming the lone win.
Bublik is ranked 55th in the ATP rankings, 45 places ahead of his Colombian rival who is 100th.
Russian star Bublik did not have a very successful start on clay. He came to the game having played only two matches against Galan in the field and lost. Although the 25-year-old did not have a victory on the surface, he was able to make a great effort to capture the first victory on clay.
This was a shocking defeat for Gallant, who had won five of his seven matches on clay before going into the match.
The pair certainly put on an incredible display, with both players hungry to secure their place in the next round. Their debut was decided after a point difference journey that saw the two players execute some spectacular shots.
The match was 7-6 (17-15), 6-7 (4-7), 6-4 after a grueling two hours and 50 minutes before the Russian star scored.
«It’s hard to finish matches if you don’t win a lot, and I’ve never felt that before because [for the past few seasons I made] Bublik would hit 35-plus on the season.[So far this year] I only have five, so completing matches is not easy. I hope to get the momentum back, play better and win more games.
«If you’re out of shape, it’s hard to play tennis when you’re out of rhythm,» Bublik said. “That’s why this thing happened. If I had played the same game last year, it wouldn’t have happened.»
Bublik will face sixth seed Holger Ruhn tomorrow. Rooney is currently ranked seventh in the ATP rankings, making it a tough matchup for the 25-year-old. However, the pair have only squared off once in their career, with Bublik securing the only victory, setting up an exciting match.
Run proved his ability to play on clay and successfully performed on the surface. He comes into this match having won eight of his last nine matches on clay. His final performance on the field saw him defeat fourth seed Bottic van de Zandschulp 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (7-3) to win the Bavarian International Tennis Championship.
Read more: Interesting facts about the Madrid Open that you probably didn’t know.
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