Dubai champions Andreeva and Rublev reach US Open mixed doubles semi-finals

Former Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships winners Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev advanced to the US Open mixed doubles semi-finals on Wednesday, 26 August, following a series of tiebreak victories in New York. The Russian pair, who both hold titles from the UAE’s premier tennis event, secured their spot in the final four after defeating Diana Shnaider and Casper Ruud. Mixed Doubles Campaign Progresses Andreeva, 19, and Rublev, 28, opened their tournament by defeating Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori with a score of 1-4, 4-1 (11-9). Their progression to the semi-finals was confirmed on Tuesday evening following a second consecutive match tiebreaker victory. The duo is scheduled to face Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik in the next round. The partnership brings together two prominent figures from the Dubai tennis circuit; Andreeva won the Dubai title last year, while Rublev claimed the men's singles crown in 2022. While Rublev has reached 10 Grand Slam singles quarter-finals, including four in New York, this run marks a significant deep-draw appearance for him in the mixed doubles format. On-Court Revelations During a post-match interview on Tuesday, Andreeva disclosed that she previously held a "childhood crush" on Rublev when she was 15 years old. The French Open champion noted she was drawn to Rublev’s personality and appearance, despite his reputation for occasional on-court emotional outbursts. Rublev responded to the teenage star’s comments with self-deprecating…