The Russian Andrey Rublev, world No.8, won the second Masters 1000 title of his career in Madrid by overthrowing the Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime, ex-top 10 today 35th, 4-6, 7-5, 7 -5 in almost three hours on Sunday, three weeks before Roland-Garros.
Rublev (26 years old) was crowned for the first time in Monte-Carlo in 2023 in this category of tournaments, the most prestigious after those of the Grand Slam. At 23, Auger-Aliassime played his very first Masters 1000 final. The highest-ranked player in the last four, Rublev had four consecutive defeats upon his arrival in the Spanish capital. After his disqualification in Dubai at the beginning of March, for shouting his anger a few centimeters from a linesman’s face, he won a match (in Indian Wells), then nothing. Neither in Miami, nor in Monte-Carlo, where he was the title holder, nor in Barcelona.
With his Madrid coronation, he will climb to sixth in the world on Monday, one place from his best ranking, reached in September 2021. After a bad start to the match, to the point of finding himself trailing 4 games to 1 with a double break behind , Rublev gradually entered the game. Too late to save the first set, but he then clearly gained the upper hand over Auger-Aliassime in the game.
In the decisive round, the young Quebecer, twice massaged in the thighs when changing sides, stayed afloat for a long time thanks to the efficiency of his serve. But he ended up breaking down precisely on a double fault, on his Russian opponent’s first match point.
“FAA” was invited to the Masters 1000 final for the first time after a rare combination of circumstances: three of its six previous matches did not come to an end. He benefited from the withdrawal of world No.2 Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals and the abandonment of the Czech Jiri Lehecka (31st) in the semi-finals, after only six games. We must add another retirement earlier in the Spanish fortnight, that of the young Czech Jakub Mensik in the third round (at 6-1, 1-0). In the ATP rankings, he will be rewarded for his journey to the final with a jump of at least fifteen places, into the top 20.