"I’m happy to cut it," the Italian said after advancing in Hong Kong.

The former world No. 1 has won only one match out of five since returning to action in March following news the Court of Arbitration for Sport had cut her suspension from four years to nine months.

Since becoming Bulgari’s first tennis ambassador in 2021, Rublev has amassed a collection of luxury watches and helped launch the brand's tennis-inspired Aluminum Match Point Edition model last year.

The top seed defeated Arthur Fils in a 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 quarterfinal rollercoaster, but the real highlight was as a moment of good sportsmanship between the pair.