By Okoeguale Adolor
May 3, 2024
In Wednesday’s quarter-finals at the Madrid Open, second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz saw his title defense and 14-match winning streak come to an end against Andrey Rublev. Rublev, seeded seventh, upset the home favorite 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the semi-finals. This victory marked a significant breakthrough for Rublev, who had lost his last five matches against top-three opponents and arrived in Madrid on a four-match losing streak. Despite his previous struggles, Rublev’s powerful style of play proved too much for the Spanish world number three.
Before this match, Rublev had a 0-1 head-to-head record against Alcaraz and had never reached the semi-finals at the Madrid Open. However, he showcased his best tennis to overcome Alcaraz and secure a spot in the last four, marking his seventh appearance in the semi-finals of a Masters 1000 tournament.
Alcaraz, who missed the clay-court tournaments in Monte Carlo and Barcelona last month due to a forearm injury, faced a tough battle in the fourth round against Jan-Lennard Struff, needing a third-set tiebreak to advance. Despite his efforts, Alcaraz couldn’t withstand Rublev’s inspired performance, ending his quest to make history as the first man to win three consecutive titles in Madrid.
I think the key was that I think it was one of my first matches that I was completely calm all the match, I didnt say one word, even if I was losing, said Rublev, who now owns at least one victory against each of the current worlds top 10.
Alcaraz dominated the first set, securing a break of serve in the fifth game and claiming a 41-minute lead. However, Rublev displayed his top form in the following two sets, ultimately winning the match in just under two hours with a total of 30 winners.
Rublev now awaits the winner between Taylor Fritz and Francisco Cerundolo in the semi-finals.
Reflecting on his performance in Madrid, Alcaraz acknowledges the positives of the week but confesses that he is still concerned about his forearm, regardless of whether it is causing him pain.
Today probably I felt more in the forearm than yesterdays match. Playing three hours yesterday, I knew that Im going to feel something or Im going to think about it even more.
The two-time Grand Slam champion acknowledged he has to be patient about his recovery, adding: Im going to go to Rome. Im going to work these days to be close to 100 percent or in a good way to play Rome, but Im going to decide these days.
Scheduled to face Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarter-finals on Thursday, Sinner disclosed that he has been grappling with a hip issue throughout the week in Madrid. In a statement on social media, he explained that the discomfort has been escalating, prompting the decision, in consultation with medical professionals, to withdraw from further play to avoid exacerbating the injury.
Despite his setback, Sinner has had a remarkable season so far, boasting a stellar record of 28 wins out of 30 matches. Notably, he clinched three titles at the Australian Open, Rotterdam, and Miami.
Looking ahead, Sinner is set to compete on home soil at the Italian Open in Rome before turning his focus to the French Open, the next major tournament of the season, commencing on May 26 in Paris.
By Okoeguale Adolor
May 3, 2024
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