Andrey Rublev, the world’s seventh-ranked tennis player, has made a winning start to his BNP Paribas Nordic Open campaign in Stockholm. The Russian defeated France’s Alexandre Muller in his opening match, 6-4, 6-1.
Rublev’s victory marks his 40th win of the year, continuing a remarkable trend for one of the most consistent players on the men’s tour. He has now won 40 or more matches every year so far this decade, a feat unmatched by any other tennis player, male or female.
Rublev’s win-loss records this decade are as follows:
* 2020: 41-10
* 2021: 53-23
* 2022: 51-20
* 2023: 56-26
* 2024: 40-20
Rublev’s latest achievement is particularly noteworthy as he is the first tennis player to win 40 or more matches every year so far this decade. Only one other player, Novak Djokovic, has managed to match this feat.
Djokovic, who recently reached the final of the Shanghai Masters, currently has 37 wins this year. With three more wins, he will equal Rublev’s record.
Djokovic’s win-loss records this decade are as follows:
* 2020: 41-5
* 2021: 55-7
* 2022: 42-7
* 2023: 56-7
* 2024: 37-9
Rublev’s victory over Muller in Stockholm was a revenge win, as the Frenchman had defeated him in the third round of the Rome Masters earlier this year.
The win puts Rublev through to his 12th quarterfinal of the year. He has won two titles this year in Hong Kong and Madrid, and has reached the final in Montreal. He has also been a semifinalist in Dubai and Umag, and a quarterfinalist at the Australian Open, Rotterdam, Doha, Washington D.C., Cincinnati, and Beijing.
Rublev will face former world No. 3 Stan Wawrinka in the quarterfinals. Wawrinka defeated Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in three sets to advance.
