World No. 8 Rublev ruins Auger-Aliassime bid for 1st Masters title
1st-time event winner overcame fever through tourney, dropped only 2 sets all week
Andrey Rublev rallied to beat Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime in three sets on Sunday and win the Madrid Open for the first time.
Rublev won 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 after Auger-Aliassime double-faulted on the last point of the final at the clay-court tournament in the Spanish capital.
It was the second Masters 1000 title for the eighth-ranked Rublev. The 26-year-old Russian also won at Monte Carlo last year. Auger-Aliassime was playing in his first final at this level.
Rublev entered Madrid on a four-game losing streak after early exits at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Barcelona. One of his victories in Madrid came in the quarterfinals against home-crowd favourite Carlos Alcaraz.
The 26-year-old Russian had come into the tournament in Madrid in poor form having lost his previous four matches on the tour but dropped only two sets en route to the title.
"No words, if you knew what I've been through in the last nine days, you wouldn't imagine that I would be able to win a title... Last six weeks I was losing in the first rounds," said Rublev, who had been struggling with a fever during the tournament, recovered to prevail in a little under three hours.
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"I was [close to pulling out] because there were few issues I couldn't fix, but I have to give full credit to the doctors. They were magical and did some tricky things... Somehow I was able to play. I've never seen this in my life.
"I would say this is the most proud title of my career. I didn't sleep well the last three-four days."
Rublev now has 16 career titles, and two this season after Hong Kong in January. He had arrived with a 5-1 record against Auger-Aliassime, including a win in their sole matchup on clay.
Auger-Aliassime's path to the final saw second-ranked Jannik Sinner withdraw because of an injury ahead of the quarterfinals, and Jiri Lehecka retired against the Canadian in the first set of the semifinals.
Other injuries hit the men's draw in Madrid, starting with Novak Djokovic's withdrawal before the tournament. Daniil Medvedev retired in the quarterfinals, while Alcaraz was hampered by a sore right arm and Rafael Nadal bowed out of what was likely his last appearance in his home country.
Questions about whether the unseeded Auger-Aliassime deserved to be in the final were put to rest in the opening set when he clinically dismantled Rublev's serve.
WATCH | Auger-Aliassime advances to his 1st ATP Masters final:
Rublev had the worst possible start when he was broken to love in the first game of the match with two double faults and the Russian quickly found himself 4-1 down as Auger-Aliassime fired several winners.
The seventh seed fought back and managed to break Auger-Aliassime but the Canadian was well in control by then, serving well to make optimal use of his strong forehand before sealing the opening set on serve with a resounding winner at the net.
But Rublev was far more aggressive with his shot-making in the second set which went with serve.
The Russian also found his range on his first serve and constantly put Auger-Aliassime on the backfoot before clinching the decisive break when he was up 6-5 to force a decider.
It was a case of déjà vu in the final set too which went with serve until Rublev broke again at 6-5.
Auger-Aliassime was under pressure as he served to stay in the contest but he made two double faults, the second handing the title to Rublev in an anti-climactic end to the final.
"Congrats to Andrey, very deserving winner. Congrats to you and your team. I tried till the end," Auger-Aliassime said.
Iga Swiatek won the women's title for the first time in her career on Saturday.
With files from Reuters
