(Wimbledon) Russian Andrey Rublev, 7e world, managed his return to Wimbledon on Monday where, despite a small slump in the second set, he quietly dismissed the Australian Max Purcell (64e) 6-3, 7-5, 6-4.
In the next round, the 25-year-old will face his compatriot Aslan Karatsev (50e) or the French Luca van Assche (75e).
Banned from playing the Major on grass last year because of his nationality, Rublev trailed 5-2 in the second set before fielding five games to close the set and regain the upper hand.
During his last participation, in 2021, he had reached 8are finals at Wimbledon, the Major that has been the least successful for him since he has reached the quarterfinals in the other three.
Last year, Wimbledon refused the participation of Russian and Belarusian players due to the war in Ukraine. This year, the tournament reversed its decision, but made all players from these two countries sign a neutrality charter.