The number nine seed overcame Kwon Soon-woo of South Korea
Russia’s Andrey Rublev set up a third-round US Open meeting with Canadian rival Denis Shapovalov after easing past South Korean player Kwon Soon-woo in New York on Thursday.
Ninth seed Rublev defeated his world number 81 rival in straight sets, 6-3 6-0 6-4, in a contest lasting one hour and 43 minutes at Flushing Meadows.
Rublev, 24, next faces a step up in competition when he meets 19th seed Shapovalov – who overcame Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena in four sets in their second-round clash.
Andrey Rublev rolls into Round 3. pic.twitter.com/G9aakbThRc
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 1, 2022
Rublev and the 23-year-old Shapovalov have faced each other four times previously on the ATP tour, sharing two wins apiece and with the Russian winning their last match in St. Petersburg back in 2020.
The Moscow-born Rublev is a two-time former quarterfinalist in New York – achieving that feat in 2017 and 2020 – while Shapovalov’s best US Open run to date is also a quarterfinal appearance in 2020.