ATP Tour

Relentless Rublev sinks Darderi to reclaim Bastad crown

Andrey Rublev did not hang around in completing his bid for a second title at the Nordea Open in Bastad.

The No. 16 in the PIF ATP Rankings raced past Luciano Darderi, the 2025 champion at the Swedish ATP 250 event, 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday afternoon. With his 77-minute victory, Rublev ended a near-17-month wait for his 18th ATP Tour title, having lifted his previous trophy in Doha in February 2025. Rublev is now a two-time titlist in Bastad, where he also triumphed in 2023.

“I feel great. To be able to win here for a second time is a special feeling,” Rublev said. “I can’t say much because I just finished my match and I’m still feeling the adrenaline. I’m happy I was able to perform well this week and was able to win the title.”

After some tentative opening exchanges in Sunday’s championship match, the former World No. 5 Rublev reeled off five consecutive games from 4-4 to seize control. Darderi became visibly frustrated and Rublev rarely appeared in danger of relinquishing his lead, aside from when he was forced to save a break point when serving at 2-0 in the second set.

“It was difficult because the conditions were completely different,” Rublev said. “Today was super cold, cloudy and the ball was heavy. The court is very wet, so the conditions were extremely different to yesterday when it was windy and sunny. Today was heavy conditions… It was more rallies, different tennis. In the end we both had chances, especially in the first set. it’s just I was bit more lucky in the important moments and I was able to turn them around.”

Rublev finished the final having won 87 per cent (33/38) of points behind his first serve, according to Infosys ATP Stats. The 28-year-old now leads Darderi 2-0 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series, with his previous victory against the Italian coming in Hamburg last year. After snapping his five-match losing streak against Top-20 opponents, Rublev will on Monday rise two spot to No. 14 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

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