A new waltz for Andrey?

Is the fiery Russian back in the Austrian capital for a new run?

Like his compatriot and friend Khachanov, Andrey Rublev is on a run of four consecutive defeats — a rare sequence for a player of his caliber.

His season remains decent overall, but below his always-high ambitions. We’re seeing a Rublev often torn between his explosive game and managing his emotions, which makes him unpredictable at times.

A return to indoor hard courts could nevertheless do him a world of good. Fewer external factors, more stable conditions, and above all tournaments he’s fond of: Vienna is a perfect example, with a title in 2020 and a semifinal reached on his last appearance in 2023.

For this first round, the draw is rather favorable: he faces Cameron Norrie, an opponent he knows well. The Russian leads 3–2 in their head-to-heads, including 1–0 indoors. Beyond the numbers, the match-up is generally favorable to him: Norrie is a gritty player, solid from the baseline, but should give Rublev time to dictate the rallies and impose his powerful shots — a scenario in which he excels. Note that the Brit withdrew from Stockholm last week for an unspecified reason.