Reigning US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz will square off against World No. 8 Andrey Rublev in the semifinals of the 2022 Mubadala World Tennis Championship on Saturday.
Rublev won the 2021 edition of the event by defeating Denis Shapovalov and Andy Murray. He kicked off his title defense with a straight-sets victory over Borna Coric on Friday, defeating him 7-6 (4), 6-4.
Alcaraz sustained a muscle tear in his abdomen during his quarterfinal clash against Holger Rune at the Paris Masters. The injury ruled him out of the ATP Finals and the teenager is now making his comeback. He seems to have recovered and is gearing up for the upcoming season by competing here.
Alcaraz will be making his debut at the event. He was the breakout star of the year, with his performances earning him global fame. The Spaniard won five titles, including his maiden Grand Slam triumph at the US Open. Rublev enjoyed considerable success as well, claiming four titles and securing yet another finish in the top 10.
This will be their first encounter against each other. They were amongst the best players of the 2022 season and if they replicate their form from earlier, this will be an exciting contest. However, it all depends upon how hard Alcaraz pushes himself in this match as he's returning from an injury hiatus.
Players often see exhibition matches like these as a stepping stone to their main season and a way to gauge their form and assess any deficiencies in their games. Despite the light-hearted nature of the event, the duo are bound to make it a competitive encounter.
Here are all the details about their upcoming showdown:
Carlos Alcaraz vs Andrey Rublev match schedule
The championship match between Carlos Alcaraz and Andrey Rublev will be the last match of the day on Center Court on Saturday.
Match timing: Not before 7 pm local time, 3 pm GMT, 10 am ET, and 8:30 pm IST.
Date: December 17, 2022.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Andrey Rublev streaming details
Viewers from the following countries can catch the action live on their respective channels and sites:
USA, Germany, Austria, Netherlands & UK: For viewers in these countries, Tennis Channel will broadcast the match.
Australia: Fans Down Under can watch the match on Stan Sport.
Spain: Viewers can watch their home favorite live on Telefonica/Movistar.
For more information regarding the broadcast of the match, click here.