The Russian, winner in Monte Carlo last year, wins his second Masters 1000 in a solid final against Auger-Aliassime
The Russian tennis player Andrey Rublev came back (4-6, 7-5, 7-5) against the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final of the Mutua Madrid Open, the second Masters 1000 in his record to culminate a glorious week that returns him a leading role in the circuit.
The world number eight arrived in the Spanish capital without having won a match since early March in Indian Wells and left the Manolo Santana as a favorite for Rome and Roland Garros. The land of the Caja Mágica allied itself with the Russian, executioner of the Spanish Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.
Rublev won hard to be the new champion in Madrid, because he defeated the defending champion and reached the decisive match with courage and quality to turn the final around. The bad start weighed down the Russian with a 1-4 deficit that was impossible to overcome against Auger-Aliassime who was looking for the biggest title of his career.
Despite looking inspired on Sunday at the Mutua Madrid Open, the Canadian looked for his opportunity and began to be a wall against the Russian. All in all, Rublev took advantage of a delicate twelfth game of the second set to get fully into the fight.
In the third act tiebreaker, Auger-Aliassime saved five break balls, but Rublev did not despair, lying in wait until the Canadian surrendered the final with a double fault. Cruel outcome for the American, who elevated Rublev who, after Monte Carlo last year, won his second Masters 1000 and the sixteenth title in his record, second in 2024 after Hong Kong.