Will Rublev keep his cool to claim Madrid Open glory, live on Sky?
Andrey Rublev will hope to keep his cool in the heat of battle and claim Madrid Open glory against Felix Auger-Aliassime in Sunday’s final, live on Sky Sports Tennis.
Rublev entered Madrid on a four-game losing streak after early exits in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo and Barcelona.
But he has made amends having now won four straight matches in Spain’s capital, including a huge win against two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals.
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Rublev, a 10-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist, said: “It’s the good thing about sports, about tennis. One week can change everything, you have to remember that… because you can’t perform always at 100 per cent, so it is normal there will be ups and downs.”
Rublev is seeking his 16th career title, his first Masters 1000 title since Monte-Carlo last year, and his second of the season after winning Hong Kong in January.
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Auger-Aliassime was handed an easy passage through to the final after an emotional Jiri Lehecka was forced
to retire in the first set of their semi-final.
It was the third match of the fortnight that Auger-Aliassime has not had to complete, with Jakub Mensik also retiring and top seed Jannik Sinner withdrawing through injury ahead of their scheduled quarter-final.
The 35th-ranked Canadian, who beat Casper Ruud this week, will be seeking his sixth career title and first since winning in Basel in October.
“It’s crazy,” said Canadian Auger-Aliassime, who had been having a difficult season. “I don’t know if it’s ever happened to a player before.
“It’s kind of a weird situation to be in on my part. It’s never happened to me in my career so far, a withdrawal or a walkover or retirement of this sort, and back-to-back like this. I couldn’t believe what was happening when I saw his back blocked on him.
“I feel really bad for him. I’ve had injuries myself, and we can all imagine how it feels to come out on a night like this, hoping to win to go through, having a battle with your opponent, and not being able to play.
“I have a lot of empathy for Jiri, and I can’t do anything but try to prepare for Sunday.”
The men’s singles in Madrid has been hard hit by injuries and fitness concerns.
World No 1 Novak Djokovic withdrew before the tournament and in addition to Sinner and Lehecka, Daniil Medvedev retired from his quarter-final while Alcaraz was hampered by a sore right arm before he fell to Rublev.
Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal did what he could before bowing out of what was likely his last appearance in his home country.
What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?
In the run-up to the second Grand Slam of 2024 – the French Open at Roland Garros from May 26 – you can watch all of the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete across the clay-court season.
Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome (ATP and WTA Masters 1000) – May 7-19Geneva Open (ATP 250) – May 20-26Lyon Open (ATP 250) – May 20-26Internationaux de Strasbourg (WTA 500 with Emma Raducanu in action) – May 20-26Morocco Open (WTA 250) – May 20-26
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