Hong Kong Tennis Open: Rublev surprised by level of support after beating Ruusuvuori to claim singles title
- Andrey Rublev powers to straight sets victory over unseeded Finn Emil Ruusuvuori
- Mate Pavic and Marcelo Arevalo capture doubles title with victory over top seeded Belgians
Andrey Rublev said he did not know why he was so popular with tennis fans after beating underdog Emil Ruusuvuori to become the first Hong Kong Open men’s champion in more than 20 years on Sunday.
The Russian broke his Finnish opponent once in each set, winning 6-4, 6-4 in less than 90 minutes, and immediately said he expected to defend his crown at the “perfect” tournament next year.
It was a dominant performance from the 26-year-old top seed, who faced only one break point and capitalised on his first match point at Victoria Park Stadium. He committed only six unforced errors, and hit 13 winners, strangling Ruusuvuori’s challenge.
The world No 5’s performance drew praise from across the city, with Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu adding his congratulations after cheering Rublev and Ruusuvuori’s “amazing performance” in front of a packed Centre Court.
Lee hailed the return of the “world-class sports event” and thanked those players who made the journey for having done so. The ATP Tour’s return for the first time since 2002 was a “meaningful” moment, Lee said in a post on his official Facebook page.
“The SAR Government will continue to actively promote Hong Kong as an international metropolis and event capital, demonstrate the charm of Hong Kong, attract overseas tourists to Hong Kong, and promote the development of local sports, tourism and cultural industries,” Lee added.
