Top seed and defending champion Andrey Rublev was unexpectedly eliminated in the second round of the ATP Hong Kong Open on Thursday, January 2, 2025. He lost to Hungarian player Fabian Marozsan, ranked 58th in the world, with a score of 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.
This early exit is a setback for Rublev’s preparations for the upcoming Australian Open, which is just over a week away. Additionally, the loss has ranking implications; Rublev is projected to drop to World No. 9, allowing Australia’s Alex de Minaur to rise to World No. 8. This change means de Minaur will be seeded eighth at the Australian Open, potentially avoiding higher-ranked opponents until at least the quarterfinals.
Marozsan’s victory advances him to the quarterfinals, where he will face China’s Juncheng Shang. Other quarterfinal matchups include Britain’s Cameron Norrie against Japan’s Kei Nishikori, and Spain’s Jaume Munar set to play Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti.
