Kokkinakis ends Rublev hopes at UTS London, sends Humbert into semi-finals

The Aussie won his first match of the week, saving a match point before taking it in sudden death

@UTS

December 7, 2024

Thanasi Kokkinakis ended Andrey Rublev‘s hopes at UTS London by Builder.ai on Saturday, a 3-2 win over the Russian sending Ugo Humbert through to the semi-finals in the process.

Kokki went into the match knowing that he had been eliminated thanks to the result of the Gael Monfils-Humbert match just before, but played brilliantly and rode his luck in important moments to clinch a 15-14, 12-11, 9-15, 11-15, 2-1 victory.

“Incredible atmosphere,” Kokkinakis said. “I can’t even hear myself talk. People singing, I’m hugging fans. I love it.”

The result means Humbert tops Group A, with Monfils in progressing to the last four.

Relaxed Kokkinakis edges first two quarters

Kokkinakis had little to play for, other than pride, but the situation seemed to relax him and he came out firing, taking the match to Rublo, who needed to win 3-0 or 3-1 to be sure of progressing to the last four himself.

At 14-10, Kokkinakis looked to have the first quarter wrapped up but Rublev won his bonus card when Kokkiakis faulted, and then the Aussie missed another serve to leave the scores at 14-14 with no time remaining. The deciding point was on the Rublev serve, and the Russian duly faulted to hand Kokkinakis the first quarter.

“When he missed that serve, I thought, you beauty,” Kokkinakis said. “Not great, double fault, double fault, double fault but I’ll take it.”

The second quarter was just as close as both men tried to dominate with their forehands. Kokkinakis had the edge at 11-8 but Rublo hit back again, helped by another double fault, and levelled at 11-11.

The deciding point was a mini classic, Rublev thinking he’d won it with a big forehand but Kokkinakis finding the edge of the sideline with a forehand pass at full stretch to pinch it 12-11.

Kokki crazy deciding point 🥇

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— UTS Tour (@uts_tour_) December 7, 2024

Rublev fights back to force sudden death

Rublev looked to be trying to meditate between quarters and it worked, the errors fewer and further between and the winners more evident. The Russian pulled away to win the third quarter 15-9.

Kokkinakis tried to attack in the fourth quarter, perhaps fearing what happened in his first match of the day, when he let slip a two quarters to love lead against Monfils to lose in sudden death.

And Rublev took advantage, winning the fourth quarter 15-11 to take it to the decider. The Russian won the first point to give himself a match point but Kokkinakis saved it and then clinched the match when he won his second point in a row.

“I was a bit unlucky in the first two quarters, losing deciding points. Then two quarters I won, so it was an equal match,” he said. “It was a nice match.”