Andrey Rublev fails to rip shirt, bleeds in Hangzhou meltdown
Andrey Rublev left the Hangzhou Open quarterfinal bleeding after a bizarre meltdown against Hugo Gaston. Leading 6-1 in the first-set tiebreak, the Russian tried and failed to rip his shirt in anger, then later punched his towel box and cut his knuckles—yet still won in three sets to reach the semis.
Key Takeaways
- Andrey Rublev tried and failed to rip his shirt after collapsing from 6-1 in the first-set tiebreak against Hugo Gaston.
- At 5-5 in the second set, he punched his towel box, scraped his knuckles, and needed medical attention while bleeding on court.
- Despite the outburst, Rublev won the second-set tiebreak 7-4 and the decider 6-1 to reach the Hangzhou Open semifinals.
- The world No. 25 next faces Frenchman Kyrian Jacquet, chasing a second ATP title of the season.
Why did Andrey Rublev try to tear his shirt?
The drama unfolded in the Hangzhou Open quarterfinals in China, where Rublev faced France's Hugo Gaston for a place in the last four.
Rublev looked in control of the first set, racing to a 6-1 lead in the tiebreak. Then came an astonishing collapse: Gaston clawed back to 6-6 and took the next two points to steal the set.
After netting a backhand at 6-5 in the breaker, the 28-year-old former world No. 5 appeared to yank at his shirt in fury. The fabric would not tear. As the pair changed ends, Rublev kicked his water bottle and table before swapping into a fresh shirt.
How did Andrey Rublev end up bleeding on court?
His mood barely improved in the second set. Rublev surged to a 4-0 lead, only for Gaston to erase the double break and level at 5-5 after Rublev double-faulted while serving at 5-4.
At 5-5, Rublev walked to collect his towel, then punched the towel box with his left hand. His knuckles started bleeding mid-game, forcing a medical timeout from the physios.
It was not the first self-inflicted injury of his career. In 2024 he drew blood from his own knee after striking it with his racquet, and he also kicked a chair in anger at Roland Garros that year. More on court chaos lives in our Bizarre News & Florida Man coverage.
Did Andrey Rublev win after the Hangzhou meltdown?
Yes. More drama followed in the second-set tiebreak when Gaston called a medical timeout for a blister while trailing. Rublev still closed that breaker 7-4, then dominated the third set 6-1 to book his semifinal spot.
According to The Sun's report, the 18-time ATP title winner returns against Kyrian Jacquet aiming for a second trophy of the season. Yardbarker likewise detailed the bloody towel-box punch and the gruelling nearly three-hour slog.
For fans of viral tennis meltdowns, Andrey Rublev's Hangzhou meltdown delivered the rare combo of a failed shirt rip, bleeding knuckles, and a comeback win—bizarre, but very real.