In a stunning upset at the Madrid Open, Andrey Rublev (26) dashed Carlos Alcaraz’s (20) hopes of defending his title and extending his 14-match winning streak. Rublev, seeded seventh, clinched a hard-fought victory over the second seed with a scoreline of 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to secure a spot in the semifinals.
Entering the match, Rublev faced daunting odds, having lost his last five encounters against top-three opponents and trailing 0-1 in head-to-head matchups against Alcaraz. Furthermore, he was amidst a four-match losing streak prior to the Madrid Open.
However, Rublev’s performance on the court defied all expectations as he showcased his trademark powerful tennis to outplay the Spanish world number three. This victory marks Rublev’s advancement to the semifinals at his seventh different Masters 1000 tournament out of a possible nine.
Alcaraz, who had been nursing a forearm injury, displayed promising form in the initial set, securing a lead with a break of serve. Yet, Rublev rallied back in the second set, finally capitalizing on a break point to establish a 3-0 advantage. Despite a contentious moment with the chair umpire, Rublev maintained his composure to force a decisive third set.
Seizing control with two breaks of serve, Rublev dominated the final set, closing out the match in just under two hours with an impressive tally of 30 winners.
Reflecting on his performance, Rublev attributed his success to his composed demeanor throughout the match, emphasizing the significance of his improved serve.
With this triumph, Rublev awaits the outcome of the match between Taylor Fritz and Francisco Cerundolo in the semifinals, poised to continue his quest for the Madrid Open title.
