Andrey Rublev of Russia competes in the men's singles match against Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic at the U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York, August 30, 2024. /CFP
No. 6 seed Andrey Rublev of Russia and No. 9 seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria will play each other in the men's singles Round of 16 match at the U.S. Open after the two beat their opponents to progress at the tournament on Friday.
Rublev knocked out the 32nd-seeded Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 at the Grandstand after winning 89 percent of his points after first serve. The victory also gave him a 3-2 lead over Lehecka for their head-to-head record.
Rublev has so far made the U.S. quarterfinals four times and that has been the furthest he has been at any of the Grand Slam tournaments.
Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria competes in the men's singles match against Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands at the U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York, August 30, 2024. /CFP
Dimitrov beat Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 at Stadium 17 on Friday. He wasn't broken at all during the 99-minute match. It was also his third straight-sets win in a row at the U.S. Open this year.
Rublev and Dimitrov have played each other seven times so far and Rublev leads 4-3 in the series. The last time they met at a Grand Slam tournament was also their first faceoff at the U.S. Open in 2018. Rublev won 7-5, 7-6(3), 6-3.
Shang Juncheng of China blew a two-sets lead against the tournament's No. 8 seed Casper Rudd of Norway before losing Friday's match 7-6(1), 6-3, 0-6, 3-6, 1-6. Endurance again was exposed as Shang's biggest weakness in his quick losses of the final three sets.
Advancing to the third round is Shang's career best at the U.S. Open.