ATP Tour

Rublev hits 29 winners for much-needed opening win in Hangzhou

Andrey Rublev kick-started his title quest in style on Friday at the AITO Hangzhou Open, where he earned a much-needed victory.

The second seed at the Chinese ATP 250 event eased past Rinky Hijikata 6-3, 6-3 in just 77 minutes to reach his 90th tour-level quarter-final, and eighth of the 2026 season. Rublev arrived in Hangzhou having won just two of his five matches across the North American hard-court swing, but fired 29 winners in a stunning display against Hijikata.

“I’m really happy to be back here in Hangzhou and to win my first match here,” Rublev said in his on-court interview. “Today the first set was not easy: I didn’t start well, I was with less confidence. But later, as the match went longer, the more confidence [I had] and the better I was feeling.”

Into his 90th quarter-final, which is the ninth-most among active ATP Tour players, Rublev will next face seventh seed Jaime Faria or Hugo Gaston. The second-seeded Rublev owns a 29-17 record in 2026, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

Earlier on Friday, World No. 107 Kyrian Jacquet recorded the biggest win of his career by defeating third seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-2, 6-3. The 25-year-old Frenchman, who is into his second ATP Tour quarter-final, is up 13 spots to No. 94 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.

Jacquet’s next opponent is sixth seed Fabian Marozsan, who pulled off a contrasting win to reach the last eight. The Hungarian rallied past qualifier Taro Daniel 6-7(2), 7-5, 7-6(1) in three tight sets.