World Tennis League: Andrey Rublev edges past Nick Kyrgios to seal narrow win for Falcons over Kites
As the World Tennis League enters a crucial phase with the final group matches determining which top two teams will advance to the final, the Falcons took a key step forward on Friday afternoon, edging past the Kites in a tight contest. Andrey Rublev led the charge, securing a narrow victory for his team.
Nick Kyrgios, returning to competitive play after an 18-month hiatus, took on the challenge of playing both men’s singles and mixed doubles. In his singles match against Rublev, Kyrgios put up a strong fight but faced an uphill battle. He needed to defeat Rublev by a significant margin to secure the overall tie for the Kites. Despite his best efforts, the match ended with a 24-21 overall score, keeping the Falcons in the lead.
Earlier, Kyrgios, alongside Jasmine Paolini, helped shift momentum for the Kites with a 7-5 victory over Caroline Garcia and Denis Shapovalov in the mixed doubles, momentarily bringing the contest back into balance.
Elena Rybakina’s earlier performances proved crucial for the Falcons. She partnered with Garcia to win a closely contested match against Simona Halep and Paolini, securing a 7-6 victory in a tense tie-break. Rybakina then followed up with a 6-4 singles win over a returning Halep, who continues her comeback after a long absence from the tour.
With the Kites relying heavily on Kyrgios, who hasn’t played since June 2023, it was a tough ask for the Australian to carry his team. Nevertheless, he put in a solid effort as he works to regain his form and match fitness.
As the tournament heads into its final day of group matches, the Hawks and Kites are currently in prime position to make the final, with the Hawks, led by Aryna Sabalenka, securing an important win earlier in the day. The Eagles, captained by Iga Swiatek, lag behind and will need a monumental effort to stay in contention. With the Falcons now narrowly ahead after two games, it looks set to be a three-way battle between the Falcons, Kites, and Hawks for a spot in the final.
