Aleksandar Vukic defeats world No.9 Casper Ruud within the second spherical of the Rolex Shanghai Masters, registering the primary top-10 win of his profession.
Shanghai, China , 5 October 2024 | Vivienne Christie
“Beware the qualifier” is a well-worn phrase in professional tennis circles – and Aleksandar Vukic is displaying why on the Rolex Shanghai Masters in China.
In a career-best efficiency at Asia’s largest ATP event, the world No.91 Sydneysider surprised No.8 seed Casper Ruud to maneuver into the third spherical.
It marks Vukic’s fourth straight match win on the ATP Masters 1000 occasion, with the Australian coming by way of qualifying to take his place the primary draw. He defeated Canada’s Gabriel Diallo, one other qualifier, to set the high-profile assembly with Ruud.
Within the ultimate night time match on the Stadium Court docket at Qi Zhong Tennis Centre on Friday, Vukic was all composure as he accomplished his 6-4 6-4 victory over Ruud in a single hour and 19 minutes.
Largest EVER Win 🤩
Qualifier Aleksander Vukic upsets eighth seed Casper Ruud 6-4 6-4 to report his first ever prime 10 win!#RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/5nEfqCTdH1
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 4, 2024
“It was a really powerful match however I’m taking part in properly, so I didn’t wish to change an excessive amount of,” mentioned the 28-year-old Sydneysider, noting the significance of sustaining profitable routines.
“(I wished to) actually persist with my recreation plan and take it to Casper. I feel I did job.”
Vukic dominated from the outset towards the two-time Grand Slam finalist, seizing his first break level alternative within the seventh recreation and changing once more on his subsequent alternative early within the second set.
“I’m very pleased with myself … I performed an excellent match,” he commented. “It was very clear, it doesn’t occur typically that you just get two out of two (break factors). Typically it’s like, zero out of 10. So I’ll take it and I’m very happy with it.”
Registering seven aces amongst 28 complete winners, Vukic most significantly held his nerve as he confronted three break factors late within the second set.
“I used to be very nervous, which is regular,” he associated. “I performed some good factors, tried to get it out of my system. Grunted a little bit extra and served properly once I wanted to.”
Vukic closed out his victory by holding serve to like, sealing the eye-turning victory on his first match level.
It units a third-round assembly with world No.33 Czech Tomas Machac, a winner over Vukic of their solely match in Vienna final yr.
Fellow Australians Alexei Popyrin and Jordan Thompson, seeded No.20 and No.26 respectively, will start their Rolex Shanghai Masters campaigns on Saturday.
Popyrin faces 55th-ranked Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, whereas Thompson takes on Tallon Greeksoort, the world No.40 from thte Netherlands.
