RICKY DIMON REPORTS THE KIDS ARE COMING: YMER, RUBLEV MAKE HEADLINES IN BARCELONA

Written by: Staff on 22nd April 2015

Conde de Godo tennis tournament in Barcelona

RICKY DIMON REPORTS THE KIDS ARE COMING: YMER, RUBLEV MAKE HEADLINES IN BARCELONA

epa04714624 Russia's Andrey Rublev returns the ball to Spain's Fernando Verdasco during their first round match at the Conde de Godo tennis tournament at the Real Club de Tenis in Barcelona, Spain, 21 April 2015. EPA/ANDREU DALMAU |

The kids are coming: Ymer, Rublev make headlines in Barcelona

By Ricky Dimon

It was the less heralded youngster who won a battle of 19-year-olds on Wednesday at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. Nick Kyrgios had two match points–one in both the second and third sets–but Elias Ymer battled to a 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(7) second-round upset after two hours and 27 minutes.

Ymer was one point away from a straight-set defeat as he served at 2-6, 4-5, 30-40 in the second. The world No. 192 also trailed 4-1 in the third set and 6-5 in the decisive tiebreaker but managed to come up with the goods in every pressure situation.

“Playing Nick is always going to be so tough,” Ymer assured. “He’s the one who showed us it’s possible to play against the big guys. He inspired me a lot when he reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals last year. I know him well; in juniors we played together all the time.

“It’s the first time I’ve won two matches on the ATP World Tour (at the same tournament). I just kept competing. He went to the toilet when I was 4-1 down and it broke his momentum.”

Ymer is a Swede respected for his incredible speed around the court. He has already doubled his previous career total of ATP match wins (two) in Barcelona, as he fought past Thiemo De Bakker 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-4 on Monday.

Spanish tennis player Fernando Verdasco returns the ball to Russian Andrey Rublev during the second round of the Conde Godo Tournament held at the Real Club de Tenis in Barcelona, Spain, 21 April 2015. EPA/ANDREU DALMAU

Fellow teenager Andrey Rublev bowed out of the event on Wednesday, but not before stunning Fernando Verdasco 7-6(4), 6-3. It was the 17-year-old Russian’s third victory in the main draw of an ATP tournament this season (and third of his career).

“I’m really happy to win against one of the best players on the tour,” said Rublev. “It’s amazing. I don’t even know what to say; I’m just so happy. I tried not to think and just keep showing my best every point. I had nothing to lose.”

The qualifier lost to Fabio Fognini in three sets on Wednesday. Ymer, meanwhile, moves on to face David Ferrer in the third round.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Andrey Rublev, Atp, Barcelona Open, Elias Ymer, Nick Kyrgios, Ricky Dimon, Tennis

Follow 10SBALLS.COM on:

Facebook:

Twitter:

10sBalls_com says:

April 22, 2015 at 1:27 pm

-@Dimonator REPORTS THE KIDS ARE COMING: @eliasymer, @AndreyRublev97 MAKE HEADLINES IN #BARCELONA- http://t.co/nBMMHmpI8b #ATPBarcelona