Andrey Rublev. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Andrey Rublev beats Novak Djokovic in Serbia Open final

By Adam Stites | Last updated Apr 24, 2022 2:10 PM ET

Andrey Rublev denied Novak Djokovic a hometown victory Sunday by beating him in the final of the Serbia Open, 6-2, 6-7, 6-0.

Rublev, 24, was the second-seeded player in the tournament behind only Djokovic, who still ranks as the top player in the world despite inactivity and struggles in 2022. On Sunday, Rublev won six of 12 break points to overpower Djokovic, who won only one of his nine break opportunities.

The moment when @AndreyRublev97 defeated the reigning World No. 1 for the first time @SerbiaOpen2022 | #SerbiaOpen pic.twitter.com/dGhqiRt1zl
— ATP Tour (@atptour) April 24, 2022

Djokovic, 34, is a 20-time Grand Slam champion, but hasn't yet won a tournament in 2022. In January, he was not allowed to compete in the Australian Open due to his vaccination status and other tournaments later followed suit. Djokovic lost in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Championships in February and lost in his first match at the Monte-Carlo Masters earlier this month.

At the Serbian Open, Djokovic lost the first set in all four matches he played. While he managed to win the second and third sets in each of his first three matches, Rublev stopped Djokovic from achieving a fourth straight comeback win.

Djokovic has been cleared to compete at the 2022 French Open, as have Russian players like Rublev. Wimbledon, which is set to begin in June, has reportedly barred players from Russia and Belarus from competing this year.

Adam Stites

Adam Stites is a Southern California native who lives in a new state every three months. He’s perennially disappointed by both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Arizona State Sun Devils. His dog is named Ramsey after the best cornerback in the NFL

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