MADRID.- Andrey Rublev He reacted to beat Felix Auger-Aliassime in three sets on Sunday to claim the Madrid Open title for the first time.
Rublev cruised to a 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory after Auger-Aliassime double-faulted in the final point of the clay-court tournament final in the Spanish capital.
It was the second Masters 1000 title for the 26-year-old Russian. The world number eight also won the Monte Carlo Masters last year. The Canadian Auger-Aliassime was playing in his first final in the top category of the ATP tour.
Rublev arrived in Madrid immersed in a four-match losing streak after being eliminated at the first opportunity in the Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Barcelona tournaments. One of his victories in Madrid was in the quarterfinals, leaving behind local idol Carlos Alcaraz, who was looking to win the competition again.
He now has 16 titles in his career, and two this season, after winning in Hong Kong in January.
Many injuries in Madrid:
Auger-Aliassime made his way to the final with a pair of retirements in the previous two rounds. Jannik Sinner, the world number two, withdrew with a hip injury prior to the quarterfinals and Jiri Lehecka retired against the Canadian in the first set of their semifinal.
The Madrid men’s team was hit hard by injuries. Novak Djokovic dropped out before the tournament. Daniil Medvedev retired in the quarterfinals. Alcaraz suffered discomfort in his right forearm. And Rafael Nadal, back after an illness, said goodbye in what could have been his last performance in his native country.
Iga Swiatek captured the Madrid women’s title for the first time in her career on Saturday.
Source: AP
