Andrey Rublev was in action earlier today, as he kicked off his Australian Open campaign against Thiago Seyboth Wild.
The Brazilian, who entered the tournament in the main draw for the first time in his career, was unsurprisingly the huge underdog.
However, as can often be the way, he played with a freedom and ferocity that unsettled the world number five.
Taking the game to a fifth-set tiebreak, it was the established star who claimed victory and advanced into the next round (5-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (10)).
Well aware of the almighty clash he had been a part of, Rublev was swift to praise his opponent. But what exactly did he have to say about Seyboth Wild? What troubled him most? We take a closer look…
Andrey Rublev heaps praise on Australian Open opponent Tiago Seyboth Wild
Having been taken the distance against the world number 78, frustration could have seeped in for the Russian.
However, such is his carefree attitude, he took time following the match to give credit to his dance partner after putting on a show for their crowd.
His main statement was brief, but succinctly outlined the key attributes that could make the 23-year-old a force to be reckoned with in the near future.
Speaking live on Sky Sports, and later published on Australian Open TV, he noted: ‘Tiago is a super dangerous player, super talented. When he’s in the right mood, feeling the ball well, we can see man he’s hitting so hard, so clean, it’s so tough to beat him.’
Andrey Rublev survives first-round scare
Well, that is not what Rublev would have wanted in just the first round of the first grand slam of the season.
Having reached the quarter-finals of all four grand slams last season, but failed to go one step further, it could be argued that time is running out for the 26-year-old as the new generation of elite talent is creeping through.
The likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Ben Shelton will all have eyes on disrupting the status quo, particularly when (and if) Novak Djokovic calls time on his impeccable career, padding out an already crowded pool of mega stars seeking to win the ultimate prizes in tennis.
Even Alex de Minaur has been touted to go deep in this tournament already, as another competitor.
So, Rublev must start taking those next steps in the coming years towards reaching the latter stages of these competitions, or risk getting left behind.
This first-round scare may well just shock him into action, despite Seyboth Wild being no easy draw.
It was a tough fixture to navigate, and despite the length of the match, a win is a win.
He will now have ambitions of going deep in the Australian Open and will face the winner of Japan’s Taro Daniel or American Christopher Eubanks.
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