Andrey Rublev said he had been left angry and bewildered by the daring talent of emerging star Shang Juncheng, before eventually overcoming the Chinese teenager in an absorbing three-set Bank of China Hong Kong Open semi-final on Saturday.
The world No 5, who will face surprise finalist Emil Ruusuvuori for the title at Victoria Park on Sunday, furiously crashed his racquet into his knee, piercing the skin on the joint, during a first set won by Shang.
And the fiery 26-year-old exploded in rage on a handful of other occasions, but regained his composure to complete a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory in two hours, nine minutes.
“It is tough to accept, mentally, when someone younger is hitting better, and doing better things than you,” Rublev told the Post. “You are trying to do something, as well, and it is not working. It looked like he was so fluid, free and easy.
“He is younger and [I was thinking], ‘What are you doing, where is your respect?’”
Rublev added: “He was going for his shots, playing some unbelievable rallies, and hitting unbelievable winners from any position. I could not do the same in the beginning and that was the issue.”
Shang was unfazed in his first ATP Tour semi-final, against a man who had won 23 of them. And the 18-year-old appeared poised to add Rublev to a list of high-profile scalps this week when he converted his second break point in the opening game, then staved off two break points in the 10th game, the second with a glorious backhand down the line that left Rublev rooted to the spot.
Shang then sent down two successive service winners to claim the set. Rublev challenged the second, but it was the act of a desperate man, and he was already in his seat by the time Hawk-Eye confirmed the initial line call.
“At one moment, I did not know what to do, or how to play,” Rublev said. “I was saying to myself, ‘Keep playing, there will be one chance’.”
Shang passed up three break points at the beginning of set two, could well be reflecting on taking only one of 14 opportunities to break Rublev’s serve in the match.
The older man released a guttural roar when he finally breached Shang’s serve, swatting a backhand beyond his opponent to lead 2-0 in the second. The tide began to conclusively turn when Shang required a medical timeout to treat what he said was “extreme fatigue” at 3-0 down. Rublev began winning easy points on his first serve, with Shang missing his now familiar snap on the court.
A second break wrapped up the set, and prompted Shang to sling his kitbag over his shoulder and march off court. He returned to create three break points at the beginning of the deciding set. A flashing backhand return to secure advantage drew unanimous acclaim from a rapt crowd, but Rublev dug himself out of a hole, finishing the game with a service winner and an ace.
Shang refused to go away, and at 3-2 and 0-30, reeled off four majestic points, the highlight a cushioned volley to leave nine-times grand slam quarter-finalist Rublev helpless at the baseline and generate roars of approval from the packed stands.
But the teen could not prevent Rublev from stealing his next service game, however, contributing a pair of double faults, and the top seed swiftly closed out the match to avoid following the top-50 trio of Laslo Djere, Botic Van de Zandschulp and Frances Tiafoe, in going down to Shang.
