Juncheng Shang pulled off one of the upsets of the tournament at the Montreal Masters 1000, saving five match points to defeat Andrey Rublev 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(5) in the second round after two hours and 44 minutes. The 21-year-old Chinese player recorded his fifth career top-20 victory in spectacular fashion.
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A tight first set then Rublev strikes back
The match started at a high intensity on Centre Court at the IGA Stadium, in front of a crowd eager for drama in the second round. Shang made the breakthrough with a late break in the first set, closing it out 7-5 to seize the advantage. Rublev, the 2024 Montreal finalist, responded with authority in the second set, raising his level and rediscovering the baseline consistency that defines his game. The Russian levelled at 6-4, resetting the contest before a deciding set that would become one of the most dramatic of the tournament.
Five match points saved in a heroic tie-break
The decider produced extraordinary drama. Rublev earned no fewer than five match points, but Shang refused to fold. Each time on the brink of elimination, the Chinese player found the reserves to fight off the danger, displaying remarkable composure for a player of his age. In the tie-break, Shang kept his nerve to prevail 7-5, triggering a standing ovation from the Montreal crowd.
For Rublev, it marks a frustrating early exit from a tournament where he reached the final two years ago. The Russian leaves Montreal with the bitter regret of five squandered opportunities, having appeared to hold the match in his grasp during the deciding set. Shang, a former world number 47, continues his upward trajectory and will face a yet-to-be-determined opponent in the third round. At 21, the Chinese player confirms his ability to trouble the best on the Masters 1000 stage.
Tuesday evening at the IGA Stadium also saw Frances Tiafoe, the 15th seed, rally past Marin Cilic 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 after dropping the opening set, while Alex de Minaur, the third seed, needed a tie-break to see off James Duckworth 6-2, 7-6(6). The next day's schedule features title holder Ben Shelton and home favourite Felix Auger-Aliassime in second-round action.
