Russian tennis star Andrey Rublev has overtaken Roger Federer at No.7 in the men’s singles rankings. The 23-year-old Rublev breezed past Norwegian Casper Ruud in straight sets in the semifinals of the Monte-Carlo Masters on Saturday, setting up a championship showdown with World No.5 Stefanos Tsitsipas.

It will be the maiden Masters 1000 final for the Russian and the third for the Greek star.

Andrey Rublev will replace Alexander Zverev at No.6 if he wins the Monte-Carlo Masters on Sunday

Rublev took down 11-time Monte-Carlo champion Rafael Nadal in a spectacular display of power hitting in the quarters on Friday. It was easily one of the biggest wins of his career.

Both Rublev and Tsitsipas are chasing their maiden Masters 1000 title and whoever comes out a winner in the final will steal a march in the race for No.1.

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The Russian will streak past German tennis star Alexander Zverev, who currently sits at No.6, if he lifts the title on Sunday.

As the result of Rublev’s elevation in the rankings, Federer has dropped further down to No.8.

After clearing a stern test against Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, Rublev set up a dream last-eight clash with the 13-time French Open champion.

Speaking to reporters after ousting Nadal, the Russian said he had played and beaten the ‘King of Clay’ many times over in his head as a child.

It was his first win over the champion in three attempts.

Showing no fatigue from his grueling win over Rafael Nadal, Andrey Rublev beat Casper Ruud

Showing no fatigue from the grueling three-set battle against the Spaniard, Rublev made short work of the unseeded Norwegian, winning 6-3, 7-5.

Though his first-serve percentage was down as 54% to his opponent’s 58%, the Russian pulled out his searing groundstrokes to tame his opponent.

Rudd did try to make a match out of it in the second set but was no match for the 23-year-old in the end.

Rublev broke into the Top-10 in singles on the back of his stupendous streak of success last year.

In what was easily his breakthrough season, the Russian picked up five titles and made his maiden appearance at the ATP Finals in London.

Andrey Rublev Reveals His Boyhood Dream of Beating Rafael Nadal After Monte-Carlo Masters 2021 Win

He also picked up four successive ATP 500 titles, the last of which came at the Rotterdam Open this year.