Andrey Rublev's Madrid Open triumph: From being defaulted in Dubai to losing four consecutive matches to winning his second Masters 1000 title
Andrey Rublev won the Madrid Open title on Sunday, May 5, by beating Felix Auger-Aliassime 4-6 7-5 7-5 in the final. It was a pulsating title clash against the big-hitting Canadian that saw the 26-year-old Russian prevail in the end.
It was his second Masters 1000 title after his triumph at the Monte-Carlo Masters in 2023. Rublev's performance saw him climb two spots up to sixth in the ATP rankings.
It was not an easy title triumph for Andrey Rublev
Andrey Rublev had to endure a few tough matches en route to his triumph in Madrid, most notably against Carlos Alcaraz and against Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final.
Against Alcaraz, the Russian was set down but managed to bounce back to win the match. Rublev's forehand is one of the most powerful ones in the business and his ability to play the angles well with it makes him a formidable proposition on clay. His cross-court forehand is one of his most effective shots. He managed to pummel Alcaraz repeatedly with his strong forehand.
Moreover, he also handled Auger-Aliassime’s lethal serve reasonably well by returning deep. He also used his inside-out forehand repeatedly to pound the Canadian's backhand, as the latter played the shot long repeatedly.
Rublev also prevailed against Taylor Fritz of the United States in the semifinal, thereby handling another big server quite commendably. His return of serve has improved in the recent past, thereby making him a well-rounded player.
The Russian endured a difficult phase prior to the tournament
Rublev got defaulted at the Dubai Open last February for using obscene language at a line judge in his mother-tongue. Then, he lost four consecutive matches starting in the second round of the Indian Wells Open against Jiri Lehecka of Czech Republic.
He also failed to defend his crown at Monte-Carlo in the process. All of that caused his rank to drop. Hence, he was not touted to do well in Madrid by most people. Still, he managed to prove his doubters wrong by adding another Masters 1000 title to his credit.
However, the 1000 points earned in Madrid have given both his ranking and confidence a boost. It remains to be seen whether he is able to use it for the remainder of the clay season. Most of his opponents should be wary of facing him in Paris.