Zizou Bergs continues to make his mark on Monte Carlo’s famed red clay. Days after grabbing attention for partnering world No. 2 Jannik Sinner in doubles, the Belgian turned heads in singles by taking on the 2023 champion Andrey Rublev in the round of 32. Ranked just No. 47, Bergs was not expected to trouble one of the tournament’s top contenders, but his recent brush with elite company may have stirred something special.
Bergs stunned the 13th seed in straight sets, sending Rublev packing from the Monte Carlo Masters in under 80 minutes. This was an important win for the Belgian as he has not had the best of the year till now. Before the start of the clay season, his win-loss record was 6-7. After the win, he celebrated by taking a giant leap in the air in front of the Court des Princes crowd, showing what the victory meant to him.
It was a statement win against the Russian, which was controlled from top to bottom. Apart from his clinical serving, the main thing that helped win the match was his ability to save break points. Zizou Bergs saved 7 out of 8 break points during the entire course of the match, which did not allow Rublev to make a comeback in the match.
Down goes the 2023 champion
@ZizouBergs produces an impressive performance to knock out No.13 seed Rublev 6-4 6-1!#RolexMonteCarloMasters pic.twitter.com/IKcWFx952j
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 8, 2026
They had played against each other before; this was not their first meeting. Their head-to-head reads 2-1 in Bergs’ favor, with Belgian having beaten Rublev in the third round of the Miami Open in 2025. That win against Rublev announced him at the biggest stage, which had turned out to be a breakout season for the 26-year-old.
The result moves Zizou Bergs into the last 16 at Monte Carlo, already his best-ever result at the tournament. He will be facing the world No. 3 Alexander Zverev in the fourth round for the first time in their career.
The former world No. 39 has done all the hard yards on the ATP Challenger tour, where he has won 8 titles, out of which three have come on clay. It was not completely surprising that Bergs toppled Rublev and will definitely cause trouble for the third seed in the upcoming match.
Bergs even played the doubles category at the Monte Carlo Country Club. He partnered with the former world No. 1 and won their first‑round match against Casper Ruud and Tomáš Macháč. The result created a buzz around the doubles event, but it was unfortunately short‑lived.
Zizou Bergs won’t forget his doubles time with Sinner
Bergs and Sinner were slated to play the eighth‑seeded pair, Manuel Guinard and Guido Andreozzi. Sinner’s decision to pull out is understandable, as he can win the singles title and reach world No. 1 at Monte Carlo; it is only natural to protect his physical fitness for the matches that matter most.
“It is official now. No doubles R2 for Zizou and Jannik. Jannik withdraws from the doubles draw. Understandable since he can become No. 1 in this tournament. Nevertheless, great experience for Zizou, which will never be forgotten,” Koen wrote on X.
Getting court time alongside Sinner, even for one match, is the kind of experience that stays with a player. The conversations he has during a match, and the preparation he goes through, transfer easily to singles as well.
The clay season has just started, and Bergs has already shown that he belongs in the conversation. Rublev heads out of Monaco disappointed, as many top players are absent from the draw and he had a real opportunity.
For Zizou Bergs, Wednesday ended with a singles victory over the 2023 Monte Carlo champion and the memory of playing doubles with the Italian No. 1. A strong start to the clay season will carry him through the rest of the swing.
