Cameron Norrie, representing Great Britain, secured a victory against Andrey Rublev, the seventh-seeded player, advancing to the subsequent stage of the Erste Bank Open.
Norrie, ranked 35th globally, emerged victorious in the two-hour contest with scores of 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), and 6-2 in Austria.
Norrie, aged 30, displayed excellent form from the outset, claiming the initial set within a mere 34 minutes before securing a service break to establish a 2-0 advantage in the second set.
The British competitor had an opportunity to seal the match while serving at 5-4, but Rublev managed his first service break, leading to a tie-break that he ultimately won, setting the stage for a decisive set.
Norrie, previously ranked eighth globally, demonstrated resilience by breaking Rublev’s serve in the second game, seizing control of the third set.
Norrie achieved another break, guaranteeing his place in the next phase, where he is scheduled to compete against either Alexei Popyrin from Australia or Matteo Berrettini from Italy.
“Overall, it was a commendable performance, with effective movement and the ability to dictate the flow of points,” Norrie commented.
“I experienced some tension and caution while serving for the match, but credit is due to my opponent for maintaining his composure and competitiveness.”
In a separate development, Jacob Fearnley, the third-highest-ranked British player, faced disappointment as he was defeated by Alexander Zverev, the second seed, in the opening round.
Following his loss in the first set, Fearnley, ranked 81st globally, surprised the German player by leveling the match and successfully forcing a tie-break in the third set.
Nevertheless, Zverev triumphed in the closely contested breaker, securing a 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (7-5) victory and setting up a second-round encounter with Matteo Arnaldi, an Italian qualifier.
