Andrey Rublev will compete in his eighth Masters 1000 semi-final. Andrey dethroned Carlos Alcaraz in Madrid, beating world no. 3 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in an hour and 59 minutes, scoring a notable win and remaining on the title course. Thus, the Russian remained perfect against the Spanish rivals on clay, a rare feat. Carlos came to Madrid with the pain in his right forearm, skipping Monte Carlo and Barcelona and hoping to play a couple of matches in front of the home fans. World no. 3 prevailed over Jan-Lennard Struff in the fourth round and made a solid start against Rublev before losing ground. The Russian stepped in from the second set, dropping only five games by the end of the duel and ousting a two-time defending champion in style. Andrey landed 30 winners and 21 unforced errors, taming his strokes nicely and dominating with a forehand. Rublev fired more service winners and outplayed Carlos from the baseline and at the net, taking 15 points more than his opponent.
Andrey Rublev, Madrid 2024© Clive Brunskill / Staff – Getty Images Sport
Rublev produced rock-solid numbers behind the first serve but struggled on the second. He defended seven out of eight break points, keeping the pressure on the other side. Like against Struff, Alcaraz could have played better behind the first serve. He dropped 37% of the points in his games, playing against 13 break chances and getting broken three times. Rublev forged the advantage in the shortest and mid-range exchanges, taking charge in the rallies up to four strokes in the final set and sealing the deal in style. Andrey made a reliable start, holding at love in the first game of the encounter after Carlos’ loose backhand. The Spaniard faced a break point in the second game and denied it with a service winner. Alcaraz grabbed the game with a forehand winner, leveling the score at 1-1. The Russian landed a service winner in the third game for 2-1, and his rival responded with a serve & volley combo in the next one, holding at love and remaining on the positive side.
Carlos Alcaraz, Madrid 2024© Julian Finney / Staff – Getty Images Sport
Andrey Rublev took down Carlos Alcaraz in three sets at Caja Magica.
Carlos landed a backhand crosscourt winner in the fifth game, creating a break chance and seizing it after Andrey’s wild forehand. The home favorite clinched the sixth game with a crafty drop shot winner, cementing the break and forging a 4-2 advantage. Rublev fired a forehand winner in the seventh game, holding at love and remaining in touch. Settling into a fine rhythm behind the initial shot, Carlos clinched the eighth game with a drop shot winner, forcing his rival to serve to stay in the set. The Russian played against two set points at 3-5, denying them with fine hitting and holding with an unreturned serve to prolong the set. Alcaraz served for the set at 5-4 and earned a set point after Rublev’s wayward forehand. The Spaniard seized it with a service winner, taking the opener 6-4 after 41 minutes. Rublev secured an early break in the second set and saved all three break points, keeping the pressure on the other side and forcing a decider.
Andrey Rublev, Madrid 2024© Julian Finney / Staff – Getty Images Sport
Andrey grabbed the first game at love after a forehand winner and made a push on the return in the next one. Alcaraz struggled to impose his strokes, playing against five break points and getting broken on the last after a forced error. Carlos missed a break chance in the third game, and Andrey closed it with a powerful forehand, cementing the advantage and moving 3-0 in front. The Russian fired an ace in the fifth game, holding at love and remaining in front. Carlos faced three break points in the sixth game, remaining composed and denying them to reduce the deficit. Rublev sprayed a forehand error at 4-2, offering Alcaraz two break chances. Andrey saved them with service winners and held for 5-2, forcing Carlos to serve to stay in the set. The young gun held with a service winner, reducing the deficit to 5-3 before his rival wrapped up the set with a powerful serve in game nine, introducing a decider after an hour and 24 minutes.
Carlos Alcaraz, Madrid 2024© Clive Brunskill / Staff – Getty Images Sport
Alcaraz denied a break point at the beginning of the final set before Rublev seized the second after causing the Spaniard’s mistake, securing a break and an early advantage. Carlos had a chance to pull the break back in game two, earning two break points. The Russian denied them and held, cementing the advantage and moving 2-0 in front. Rublev served well in the fourth game, landing service winners and opening a 3-1 gap. Alcaraz struggled behind the initial shot again in the fifth game. He got broken after Rublev’s running backhand down the line winner at the net and moved closer to the exit door. Andrey produced a fine hold in the sixth game and served for the win at 5-2. Rublev created two match points with a service winner and converted the first with another, scoring a notable win and moving into the semi-final.
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