Andrey Rublev will try to continue his incredible 500 winning streak when he faces familiar foe Marton Fucsovics in the Dubai quarterfinals on Thursday. Jannik Sinner and Aslan Karatsev are also on the schedule.
Marton Fucsovics vs. (2) Andrey Rublev
Two months into the season, Rublev and Fucsovics are already set for their third scheduled head-to-head meeting of 2021, this time in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. They previously faced each other in the Rotterdam final, with Rublev prevailing 7-6(4), 6-4. A Doha quarterfinal contest did not happen last week because Fucsovics withdrew.
Rublev’s Rotterdam triumph gave him an absurd 20 consecutive match victories at the 500-point level, and he has extended that streak to 22 by beating Emil Ruusuvuori and Taylor Fritz in straight sets so far in Dubai. Fucsovics is also in stellar form, but the 44th-ranked Hungarian has been playing a ton of tennis and he has already survived tight three-setters this week against Vasek Pospisil and Dusan Lajovic. He may be running on fumes, and even if he is 100 percent Rublev is still an obvious massive favorite.
Pick: Rublev in 2
(WC) Aslan Karatsev vs. (16) Jannik Sinner
The first-ever encounter between Sinner and Karatsev could be the best match of the day in Dubai. Both players are in incredible form, with Sinner’s hot streak dating back to 2020. Last season’s exploits featured his first of two ATP titles in Sofia and a quarterfinal run at the French Open. The 32nd-ranked Italian also lifted a trophy last month in Melbourne and he is 9-3 this year following Dubai victories over Alexander Bublik and Roberto Bautista Agut.
Karatsev has emerged from basically out of nowhere in 2021. The 27-year-old made a shocking semifinal appearance at the Australian Open and he has not looked back. Up to No. 42 in the world, Karatsev has advanced this week at the expense of Egor Gerasimov, Dan Evans, and Lorenzo Sonego. This could go either way, but Sinner can match and even surpass the Russian in the power department and he turned in the performance of the tournament so far in Wednesday’s defeat of Bautista Agut.
Pick: Sinner in 3
WWW?
I wouldnt pick against Rublev or Sinner at this point
If they keep winning they’ll play against each other and you’ll HAVE to pick against one of them.
I like Fucsovic (weakness for big dark handsome men? :-)) but went with Rublev and Sinner.
Im saved that decision 🙂 -Ill give Rublev a slight edge over Karatsev :dunno:
Rublev in 2…..Sinner in a very tight 3.