Felix Auger-Aliassime advanced to the Madrid Open final on Friday after semi-final rival Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic had to retire at 3-3 due to injury.
This was the third time that Auger-Aliassime, whose highest rank reached No. 6 back in late 2022, enjoyed a walkover in Madrid, after Czech Jakub Mensik retired in the third round and Italian top seed Jannik Sinner sent the Canadian through, withdrawing from their quarter-final fixture. The world No. 35, who has a 1-4 head-to-head record against final's rival Andrey Rublev, will be contending in the first Masters 1000 final in his career.
Andrey Rublev celebrates winning the Madrid Open semifinal round against Taylor Fritz in Madrin, Spain, May 3, 2024. /CFP
Earlier in the day, the Russian seventh seed moved past American Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-3 in just 73 minutes to reach his fifth Masters 1000 championship match, firing 20 winners and winning 83 percent (38/46) of his points behind first serve. He improved his head-to-head record with the world No. 13 to 4-5, and his own record in Madrid to 10-3 making it past the quarter-final for the first time in the Spanish capital.
"Mentally I was feeling much better and I was able to perform," Rublev reflected on snapping his four-match losing streak prior to the Madrid event.
"Putting emotions in the right direction. For sure it has helped me to reach the final. Without this, I would not be in the final."
Fritz broke in the opening game on his first break point, but Rublev immediately responded by breaking Fritz's game, particularly on his second serves. Rublev took the first set after breaking to love in the 10th game, but was pressured again in the second set opener, except for this time, he managed to hold by saving both break points. He broke again in the sixth game to book his final's berth.
"I started really tight. I missed a couple of returns, a couple of easy shots, but it is part of sport and part of tennis," said Rublev. "When he broke me, I thought, 'OK, it is only the beginning, we have a long set and we will see. Maybe he will also not start well on his serve.'
"In the end, I think in the first three points he didn't hit a first serve, so I was able to win and it was 0/30. On one break point I played well, and somehow it was 1-1. Then the match was equal until the end of the set," commented Rublev.