Britain’s Cameron Norrie sealed an impressive 6-2 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 victory over former champion Andrey Rublev in his opening match at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna.
Norrie recorded his fourth win against top-20 opponents in 2025 with Rublev suffering his fifth consecutive loss as well as a mid-match meltdown – just a day after his 28th birthday.
British No 2 Norrie made a lightning start, breaking his opponent twice in the opening five games, when the seventh seed eventually lost his temper and repeatedly smashed his racket on court.
“The signature racket break from Andrey Rublev. Not the first time he’s destroyed a bat. He’s given that one the full monty,” said commentator Robbie Koenig.
Rublev was hit with a code violation by the umpire and went on to drop the first set before winning a tense second-set tie-break to force a decider.
But it was Norrie who upped the tempo and ran away with the third set, securing an impressive win and a spot in the second round of the ATP 500 event.
Jacob Fearnley takes on Alexander Zverev later on Tuesday evening in the Austrian capital – live on Sky Sports Tennis.
Sinner skipping Davis Cup to focus on Australian Open preparations
Jannik Sinner is skipping this year’s Davis Cup Finals on home soil
Jannik Sinner said it was a difficult decision to miss this year’s Davis Cup Finals on home soil but the world No 2 felt that he had to prioritise preparations for his Australian Open title defence.
The 24-year-old, who won at Melbourne Park and Wimbledon this year, was instrumental in Italy’s successful Davis Cup defence in 2024 in Spain but said he was sitting out the tournament set to take place in Bologna from November 18-23.
He will be in Turin a week before the Davis Cup to defend his ATP Finals title, where world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz has also secured his place in the season-ending championship.
“It wasn’t an easy decision, but after Turin, the goal is to get off on the right foot in Australia,” Sinner told Sky Sport Italy. “It may not seem like it, but a week of preparation during that period can make all the difference.
“We won the Davis Cup in 2023 and 2024, and this time we decided this with my team.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Highlights as Sinner defeated Learner Tien to win the China Open
Next year’s Australian Open, the opening Grand Slam of the season, runs from January 12-26.
Sinner beat Alcaraz to win the lucrative Six Kings Slam exhibition event in Riyadh on Saturday and will next be in action in Vienna, which he won in 2023.
“We are working hard on my serve. I am fortunate to be able to work continuously with the best team possible,” he said. “I now have some very important tournaments coming up, in Vienna, Paris and Turin.”
Watch the ATP and WTA Tour, live on Sky Sports or stream with NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.
