Luca Van Assche stuns Rublev for landmark Estoril win
Luca Van Assche stunned top seed Andrey Rublev 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 at the Millennium Estoril Open on Friday, securing the biggest win of his career and his first ATP Tour semi-final. The World No. 78 Frenchman will face Hugo Gaston next, while Luciano Darderi denied home hope Jaime Faria a last-four spot.
Key Takeaways
- Luca Van Assche beat World No. 14 Andrey Rublev 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 for his career-best win.
- The 22-year-old Frenchman reached his first ATP Tour semi-final after three prior quarter-final exits.
- Rublev’s five-match streak, which included the Bastad title, ended; he skipped his post-match press duties.
- Second seed Luciano Darderi rallied past Jaime Faria 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 and meets Alexander Blockx next.
- Estoril semi-finals are listed live on Sky Sports for UK viewers tracking clay-court action.
How did Luca Van Assche pull off the Rublev upset?
Van Assche refused to be overpowered on the Estoril clay, according to the ATP Tour report. Rublev, the top seed and World No. 14, took the opener, but the Frenchman raised his level across a two-hour, 15-minute comeback.
“I’m very, very happy about the win today. It’s the best win of my career so far,” Van Assche said. “It means a lot to me. It was a tough match. I’m happy with the level I played.”
The No. 78 player in the PIF ATP Rankings had fallen in his previous three tour-level quarter-finals. This time he closed out the landmark win and booked an all-French semi-final against countryman Hugo Gaston at the ATP 250 event.
Where can you watch the Estoril semi-finals?
Sky Sports lists live coverage of the Millennium Estoril Open semi-finals among its tennis programming, giving UK audiences a clear path to follow the last four. For more how-to-watch tennis alerts and schedule roundups, browse our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.
Van Assche vs. Gaston guarantees a Frenchman in Sunday’s final. On the other side of the draw, Darderi faces fourth seed Alexander Blockx after Blockx edged Roman Andres Burruchaga 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.
What else happened in Friday’s Estoril quarter-finals?
Jaime Faria looked set to give home fans a semi-final celebration. The Portuguese led 5-2 in the second set and served for the match at 5-3 before Darderi stormed back for a 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 win.
With that result, Darderi claimed his tour-leading 22nd clay-court victory of 2026. Rublev, meanwhile, left without speaking: Tennis World USA reported he “evaporated” after the shock loss and canceled his press conference.
For Van Assche, the result is a career milestone on a court he says he loves. For streaming fans, Saturday’s semis are the next appointment to keep on the calendar.