Alexei Popyrin faces Andrey Rublev in the Cincinnati Open Round of 32 on Tuesday in what is probably the most compelling of this morning’s matches, featuring two big-hitting baseliners who last met in last year’s Canadian Open final.
Popyrin, ranked No. 19, has seen his stock rise since winning his first Masters 1000 title in Montreal last year in a straight-sets win over Rublev in the final.
He’s been inconsistent since that big victory, but arrives in Cincinnati after a strong run in Toronto, where he fell to Alexander Zverev in a three-set quarterfinal match after beating Holger Rune and Daniil Medvedev in earlier rounds.
Rublev, world No. 11, too, saw a quarterfinal exit in Toronto — at the hands of Taylor Fritz. This year, his powerful forehand and aggressive return game have fueled a title run in Doha, a runner-up finish in Hamburg, and a quarterfinal in Toronto. He also reached the Round of 16 at both mid-year Grand Slams, falling to the game’s best in Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
In Cincinnati, both Popyrin and Rublev were pushed harder than they might have liked in their second-round matches, each needing a tight first-set tiebreak before closing out straight-set wins.
Popyrin–Rublev Head-to-Head
Popyrin leads 2–1 in their head-to-head meetings, including a 6-2, 6-4 victory in the 2024 Canadian Open final. Rublev’s lone win came in 2023 in Vienna.
Prediction
Rublev in 3 sets. This one should be close given Popyrin’s recent wins over top-10 opponents and his ability to seize momentum with quick service holds. Still, Rublev’s superior baseline consistency, sharper shot selection, and ability to absorb and redirect pace should carry him through in a tightly contested match.
How to Watch Alexei Popyrin vs. Andrey Rublev
The Alexei Popyrin–Andrey Rublev match is scheduled for 11:00 AM Eastern on Court 3 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.
The match may air live on the Tennis Channel or its streaming-only T2 Channel, which is available on Amazon Prime Video here.
The Tennis Channel has a live stream simulcast of its TV coverage here, along with a dedicated feed for the Popyrin-Rublev match here.
A standalone Tennis Channel streaming subscription is available for $9.99/month or $109.99/year.
Popyrin vs. Rublev
Date: Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Scheduled Start Time: 11:00 AM Eastern
Venue: Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason, Ohio
Court: Court 3
TV: Tennis Channel
Streaming: Tennis Channel app and website
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