Former champion Andrey Rublev marked a major milestone on Friday at the Bitpanda Hamburg Open, notching his 350th tour-level victory in dominant fashion to reach the final for a third time.
The third seed unleashed a powerful performance to sweep past Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1, 6-4 in the ATP 500 clay-court event. Rublev, who lifted the trophy in Hamburg in 2020, fired 18 winners and didn’t face a single break point, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
“It was my best match of the week, for sure,” said Rublev, who now leads Auger-Aliassime 7-1 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry. “I think I’m getting better with each match. Felix had a really tough match against [Alexandre] Muller last night that ended late — maybe that gave me a bit of an edge.”
Although Rublev has slipped to No. 17 in the PIF ATP Rankings after missing out on defending points in Madrid, he’s responded strongly in Hamburg. The 27-year-old is now bidding for his second title of 2025 after his victory in Doha, and his seventh ATP 500 crown.
Rublev’s ATP 500 Titles:
| Event | Year |
|---|---|
| Hamburg | 2020 |
| St. Petersburg | 2020 |
| Vienna | 2020 |
| Rotterdam | 2021 |
| Dubai | 2022 |
| Doha | 2025 |
In his 28th career ATP final, Rublev will face Italy’s Flavio Cobolli, who staged a gritty comeback earlier in the day. The 22-year-old Italian rallied from a set and 1-3 down to defeat Tomas Martin Etcheverry 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 in a marathon lasting two hours and 47 minutes.
Cobolli, who clinched his first ATP title last month in Bucharest, continues his breakthrough season. He climbs five spots to No. 30 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and would hit a new career high if he takes the title.
“We gave everything out there,” said Cobolli. “There’s only one winner in the end, and I’m so happy it was me. I’m emotional and super excited for tomorrow’s final.”
The final will feature an intriguing contrast: Rublev’s experience and firepower against the fearless rise of Cobolli.
