Carlos Alcaraz eliminated in huge Madrid Open upset after stunning Andrey Rublev fightback, Taylor Fritz progresses
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Updated 01/05/2024 at 22:56 GMT
Carlos Alcaraz lost the chance to win three consecutive Madrid Open titles when he was surprisingly beaten by Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals on Wednesday. Rublev came from a set down to overcome the world No. 3 in a dominant performance, where he earned three set points five times in the second set, before closing out the match with another final display to set up a tie with Taylor Fritz.
Highlights: Alcaraz crashes out of Madrid Open to Rublev
Andrey Rublev dominated the double-defending Madrid Open champion Carlos Alcaraz in a stunning fightback to move into the semi-finals.
After Spain lost Rafael Nadal in the last 16, they lost another giant in Alcaraz as the Rublev came from a set down to win 4-6 6-3 6-2 and seal his first top-three victory since the 2022 season.
Following his impressive victory, Rublev said it was his serve that "saved him a lot of times today".
"The key was I was completely calm the whole match," Rublev added on his performance.
"I did not say one word, even if I was losing. That was the key and I was able to serve even better near the end.
“In the beginning, I was not serving that well but little by little, after set one, I served better and better and finished really well.”
After disappointing campaigns at Indian Wells, the Miami Open, the Monte-Carlo Masters and the Barcelona Open, Rublev has had a significant turnaround in form.
“When you start to think of how good everything is, then for six weeks I was not winning at all. So it is better to not think at all," Rublev added on his recent form, where he has dropped just one set in four Madrid Open games.
"That it is just a moment and it happens to everyone. Everyone has been through these moments and the most important thing is to keep working and keep improving."
Rublev earned the first break point of the match and the chance to take a two-game lead in the opener but missed the early opportunity to take advantage when he fired an effort into the net.
Alcaraz took his chance to level with a brilliant cross-court effort and following holds from both players, made the first breakthrough for 3-2 when Hawkeye ruled out Rublev’s long effort.
The defending champion extended his advantage to build a two-game buffer with an excellent drop shot, as the Spanish crowd roared the 20-year-old on at the Caja Magica.
In under a minute, Rublev rapidly moved 40-0 ahead in the following game after an error-strewn string of points from Alcaraz as the Russian held to love with a strong forehand.
But Alcaraz restored his two-game lead and although the set ended tightly when Rublev fought off a set point in the ninth game, struggled to prevent Alcaraz from sealing the opener as the Wimbledon champion took the lead inside 41 minutes.
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Rublev started the second set much stronger and held to love in the opening game before racing 40-0 ahead in the next, but Alcaraz saved three break points to claw his way to deuce.
Despite the fightback, Alcaraz became frustrated as he went well wide and Rublev punished the two-time Grand Slam champion to go a couple of games ahead and pile the pressure on.
Rublev found himself a break point down but held when Alcaraz went long to move three games ahead and take complete control of the second set.
Alcaraz finally got on the board when he returned Rublev’s drop shot with a clinical cross-court effort before the latter went wide for 3-1.
However, Rublev seemed unfazed by the brilliant game from Alcaraz and built a 40-0 lead again as he held for love once more and began to run away with the set.
Alcaraz bounced back exceptionally in the following game after falling 40-0 behind for the fourth time in a dominant set from Rublev, battling past three break points as Rublev went into the net.
With relief for Alcaraz and the gap closed to two games at 4-2, the world No. 3 had the chance for a crucial break but went wide with both chances as Rublev sealed a huge hold to move one step closer to equalising.
Two games later at 5-3, Rublev earned three set points for the fifth time in the set and nailed the second to take the match to a decider.
The momentum stuck with Rublev in the third set as he broke Alcaraz in the opening game to capitalise on the early domination for the second set in a row.
Rublev moved two games ahead and denied Alcaraz the chance to find his way back into the set before he produced another crucial break for 4-1.
The 26-year-old continued his stunning form as he began to dismantle the double-reigning champion to move 5-1 ahead and earn himself the chance to serve for the match.
Alcaraz held the following game, but the damage was already done as the Russian found his way past Alcaraz 40-15 in the final game to conclude the upset and earn his place in the last four.
The victory set up a last-four battle with Taylor Fritz after he beat Francisco Cerundolo in three sets to reach the semi-final for the first time in Madrid.
Fritz posted a 6-1 3-6 6-3 scoreline to claim his 250th tour-level win and book his first ATP Masters 1000 semi-final of the season.
"I returned really well in the first set, put a lot of balls in play," Fritz said. "To be honest he was making some mistakes so it made me look a lot better and I was finding some balls to attack on for sure.
“The second set and third set, I feel he got a lot more solid. He was not giving me anything for free and it was really hard to hit through him and find balls to attack on. He was getting the backhand through the court.
"It was tough to look for forehands. It was really tough from the ground but I just had to hang in the match with my serve and fight through some points even though I didn't feel super comfortable. I took my chance when I got it."
Fritz will play Rublev for a spot in the final on Friday, where the winner will face either Daniil Medvedev, Felix Auger-Aliassime or Jiri Lehecka in Sunday’s final.
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