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The Russian pairing of Andrey Rublev and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has sparked immense joy across the tennis community during their campaign at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics.
The two singles stars have managed to beat the odds and reach the mixed doubles final, where they will face compatriots Elena Vesnina and Aslan Karatsev on Sunday. But in addition to impressing fans with the strength of their play, Rublev and Pavlyuchenkova have also provided a lot of entertainment through their funny reactions.
Seeded fourth in the draw, Andrey Rublev and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova had to dig deep in the semifinal against Australia’s John Peers and Ashleigh Barty before emerging triumphant in a deciding set tiebreak. There were countless moments of exhilaration, nonchalance and anxiety between the two Russians during the match, and Twitterati were on hand to document everything.
Here is an 'adorable' GIF of the moment Andrey Rublev and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova came through against Peers and Barty, registering a hard-fought a 5-7, 6-4, 13-11 victory.
Both Rublev and Pavlyuchenkova seemed in disbelief at the prospect of playing for a gold medal at the quadrennial event. The Russians put in a Herculean effort on Friday - Pavlyuchenova even saved a match point in the tiebreaker with a screaming backhand winner - and they looked relieved and pumped in equal measure at the end.
Rublev's reaction after his partner hit that belter can be seen in the tweet below:
Andrey Rublev and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova had also looked visibly relieved after their first-round win. That result was particularly important for Rublev, who had lost in the first round in both singles and men's doubles; after finally winning a match in Tokyo he gestured to show how his hand was shaking in the decisive tiebreaker.
Unlike their compatriots Karatsev and Vesnina, Rublev and Pavlyuchenkova had never played doubles with each other before the Olympics. And the newly formed team has made some absolutely hilarious plays during its three wins so far.
In one instance, Pavlyuchenkova found herself at the net midway through a point and had to duck out of the way of a powerful Rublev forehand.
Andrey Rublev has been in the zone at the net on many points, bunting several volleys - both single-handed and two-handed - past his opponents.
The single-most hilarious point came during the match against Barty and Peers though, when Pavlyuchenkova hit a smash at the net as Rublev looked on anxiously. Rublev's expression as his partner made contact with the ball was simply priceless.
Fans on Twitter made sure they screen-capped the Russian's reaction from different angles.
Even Pavlyuchenkova took to her Twitter handle after the match to comment on Rublev's reaction.
"When your partner believes in you," her caption read.
There was another mix-up between Andrey Rublev and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova during the match, where Rublev made an error of judgement by going for a ball that was well within his partner's reach.
There was also a hilarious compilation of the reactions of the two of them set to a rom-com background score, that gained widespread acclaim on Twitter.
"I feel we're kind of losers, playing mixed after crashing out in singles" - Andrey Rublev
While speaking to the media after their hard-fought win on Friday, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova seemed to be struggling to gain her composure during one of the initial questions. Andrey Rublev proceeded to break it down for his partner but the Russian, who is ranked No. 18 in the WTA singles rankings, remarked that she understood the question.
This prompted Rublev to come up with a hilarious quip, asking Pavlyuchenkova why she was reacting in "slow motion".
Rublev also joked that he and Pavlyuchenkova were "losers" because they were playing the mixed doubles competition only because they lost early in singles.
"I feel we're kind of losers, playing mixed after crashing out in singles," Andrey Rublev remarked after their quarterfinal win.
"Still feeling I'm a loser, because I'd love to be alive in singles," he said after the semifinals.
Pavlyuchenkova, however, didn't agree with Rublev's typically pessimistic attitude. The 29-year-old asserted that an Olympic medal is an Olympic medal, even if it is earned in doubles competitions.
"That's Andrey for you. Olympic medal is Olympic medal, we are not the losers," Pavlyuchenkova said.
