The title winner of the last two years loses to Andrej Rublev. Jannik Sinner withdraws due to injury
Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz has lost to Andrei Rublev in the quarter-finals of the ATP Masters in Madrid. The 2022 and 2023 tournament winner lost 6:4, 3:6 and 2:6 to the world number eight from Russia. It was only the second defeat for the 20-year-old Alcaraz in his fourth appearance at the tournament. The world number two Jannik Sinner withdrew from the tournament on Wednesday.
Alcaraz, who had to miss the clay court tournaments in Monte Carlo and Barcelona due to a right arm injury, controlled the first set. However, Rublev fought his way back. “I think the serve saved me a lot, but the key was that it was one of my first matches where I was completely calm the whole match, I didn’t say a word even when I was losing,” said the 26-year-old.
The world number three Alcaraz looked increasingly tired as the match progressed in the cool temperatures and closed roof of the “Caja Magica”. Rublev managed breaks in the first and fifth games of the deciding set. The Russian hit 30 winners, while Alcaraz looked exhausted after his three-set victory over Jan-Lennard Struff in the round of 16, which lasted almost three hours.
A few minutes after Alcaraz’s exit, the tournament organizers announced via X that Sinner (Italy) would not be competing in Madrid due to a hip injury. The quarter-final against Felix Auger-Aliassime (Canada) scheduled for Thursday will not take place
