The 2020 Tokyo Olympics was headed to its final course after an eventful first half. The tennis event, in particular, had been the highlight of the Summer Games so far. Courtesy of the exuberant performance from top players, fans have enjoyed each bit of the competition. Hence, in yet another enthralling battle, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova teamed up with Andrey Rublev to face Australia’s Ashleigh Barty and John Peers. As both teams aimed for a place in the finals, they promised a fierce outing.

Having recorded one of their most famous wins in the quarter-finals, the Australians were the favorite going into the game. They destroyed the Greeks in straight sets, despite a hard fight by Stefanos Tsitsipas. However, ruling out the possibility of a major upset would have been a huge mistake. Right throughout the tournament, the Russian duo had looked absolutely lethal with their eyes on the prize. As the battle of the best kick-started, flames were sent blazing all across Tokyo. Who would get the better of the other?

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First-set triumph for Ashleigh Barty

Undoubtedly, both teams seemed ready right from the first swing. Attacking head-on, they looked to attain a firm hold on the match but were canceled out by each other courtesy of some masterclass defending. Top class service game from both ends saw the first set tied at 5-5, up till game 10. However, as the Russians stepped up serving to save the set, pressure mounted.

However, just one game away from clinching the first set, Barty and John broke the Russian defense. In doing so, they recorded 55% wins on their first serve and scored an astonishing 13 out of 13 points on their second serve. In total, they won 42 points to outplay their opponents and win the first set. As the scoreline read 7-5, the Australians moved one step closer to the finals.

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Notably, the Aussie duo started the second half strong as well. Carrying the momentum from the first set, they continued to reign dominance on the match and cancel out any chance of a Russian comeback. However, Rublev continued to lead the attack from the front. His efforts showed as they attained the all-important service break early in the set. For any chance of making it to the final, gaining an upper hand was key; and driven by Rublev, the Russians did just that.

The pair were riding high on confidence as they further established their dominance in the game. They won the second set 6-4. A tricky tie break was on the cards.

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Down to the wire

While one team triumphed in the first set, the other conquered the second. Heading into the tie break, neither of the sides were favorites to win. However, courtesy of the epic fightback, the Russians seemed closer to an Olympic medal

The relentless battle reached its eventual conclusion, as it found a deserving winner. The Russians fought hard but got past the feisty Australians. As the scoreline read 5-7, 6-4, [13-11], the night belonged to Andrey Rublev and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. They canceled out team Ashleigh’s fightback and cruised their way into the finals of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.