Rublev Survives Bublik's Ace Barrage In Thriller - Seventh seed will meet Djokovic or Hurkacz in last eight

 Andrey Rublev overcame two match chances in the fourth set to defeat a tenacious Alexander Bublik and go to the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the first time.

After winning the first two sets, the World No. 7 was in complete command of the contest. However, Bublik won the third and fourth sets in tie-breaks and had the 25-year-old on the back foot with enormous serving before Rublev rallied to win 7-5, 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-7(5), 6-4 after three hours and 17 minutes.

Andrey Rublev in action against Alexander Bublik on Sunday at Wimbledon.

"Every set I had chances, every set I had opportunities," said Rublev, who lost to Bublik in the Halle final in the second week of the grass season. 

"On the first match point, he served full power at 135 mph, and on the second match point, he served big again." I figured if I simply kept playing, I'd have at least one more opportunity, so don't blow up before the match is done."

Rublev, who had 20 aces to Bublik's 39, will play the winner of the match between seven-time champion Novak Djokovic and Poland's Hubert Hurkacz.

Both players smashed the ball with unremitting force, but two variables decided the game. Bublik failed to convert on any of his five break chances in the match, including one in each of the first and second sets. Several of Bublik's 14 double faults occurred at vital moments. In the opening set, he went off the rails with back-to-back double faults, handing the set to the World No. 7. In addition, the recent Halle winner threw in a double fault at 30-all in the sixth game of the second set, when he was emphatically broken, then again at 30-all in the eighth game of the fifth set, giving Rublev a leg up to a 5-3 lead.

However, those gaffes should not obscure what was a thrilling contest. The last point brought the Centre Court audience to its feet, as if to sum up the excellence of the match.

Bublik let out a triumphant yell after hitting what he thought was a down-the-line backhand winner after a prolonged rally. But Rublev outran it, sneaking to the grass and flicking a low forehand back into the centre of the court, leaving Bublik startled and still.

"It was probably the most unlucky shot ever," Rublev quipped during his on-court interview. "I don't think I can handle it one more time."

Rublev needed to play his best tennis to overcome Bublik's challenge, smashing 52 winners to only 21 unforced errors throughout the five sets. Bublik had 67 successful shots and 52 unforced mistakes. He also had to overcome Bublik's tenacity, as he saved two match points at 4-5, 15/40 in the third set with massive serves and then clinched the game with consecutive aces.

"He was playing unbelievable," remarked Rublev. "The way he served, how he disrupted your rhythm." It's difficult to accomplish anything because he forces you to go for the shot 50/50. Furthermore, when he makes a decent serve and a good pair of returns on grass, the match is over.

"I was really happy today when he was shooting really hard that I was able to be focussed, to manage to bring the balls back. In the end we had the drama match. But I was able to win it and I'm really happy."

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