Adrian Mannarino caused a major stir in the draw by taking down the top-seeded Andrey Rublev. After dropping the first set, Mannarino showed great resilience, saving a match point to eventually win 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-4. The result was a sweet revenge for Mannarino, who had previously lost to Rublev in straight sets during the 2019 Moscow final, where the Russian triumphed on home soil.
The 33-year-old Frenchman played a masterclass in contrast, countering Rublev's heavy hitting with finesse and strategic placement. This impressive performance propelled him into his third ATP 250 quarterfinal this season, largely thanks to the timely and effective use of his left-handed crosscourt forehands to unsettle Rublev.
The opening set saw Rublev capitalize on his third break opportunity to move ahead 4-2 in the sixth game. Mannarino didn't fade, however, breaking back in the ninth game to bring the score to 4-5 while Rublev was serving for the set. Ultimately, Rublev held his nerve in the 11th game and broke serve to wrap up the first set 7-5.
Mannarino started the second set strong, breaking early in the third game to lead 2-1. Rublev refused to let the Frenchman run away with it, breaking back at love in the sixth game to level the score at 3-3. Mannarino responded immediately by breaking again in the seventh game to lead 4-3. Although he eventually reached a 5-3 lead and had a chance to take the set, he narrowly missed the set point.
Despite the missed opportunity, Mannarino stayed composed and managed to save a match point in the 12th game, pushing the set into a tie-break. He successfully claimed the second set, forcing a final decider. In the third set, Mannarino broke Rublev's serve and maintained his composure on his own service games. He made the most of his only break point in the fourth game to complete the comeback victory.
Following his victory, Mannarino admitted that he enjoyed the challenge of playing Rublev, despite the hostile atmosphere from the crowd. He noted that Rublev's game has evolved significantly and emphasized that in tennis, anything can happen. Overall, the French player expressed great satisfaction with how he performed on the court.