It’s The Rocket v Rublo in the second round of the Australian Open!

Christopher Eubanks faces Andrey Rublev in Melbourne on Wednesday – and the American will hope it’s a rather different result than when they clashed in UTS Frankfurt in September 2023.

Rublo swept the board, three quarters to love, 18-12, 18-12, 20-15 – and of course ultimately lifted the lightning-bolt trophy later that weekend.

The Rocket commented at the time that he needed to ensure he was serving well because of the strength of Rublo’s return.

“My second serve is pretty reliable usually but Andrey applied a lot of pressure and I felt like I had to go big, so [the points conceded are] a result of his returning,” he said then.

But they have not yet met in a tour match. Eubanks reached the second round of the Australian Open last year, his best result at this Grand Slam, while Rublev has twice reached the quarter-finals.