Félix Auger-Aliassime was so near changing into the primary Candian man to win a Masters 1000 singles title, however Andrey Rublev had different concepts within the Mutua Madrid Open remaining on Sunday.
Regardless of taking the opening set, the Canadian couldn’t maintain off his feisty opponent, eventual falling in his first Masters 1000 remaining 4-6, 7-5, 7-5.
Canadian males are actually 0-6 in Masters 1000 singles finals. Bianca Andreescu stays the newest and solely Canadian, male or feminine, to win a 1000-level singles title.
It was a wild week for Auger-Aliassime, who had two opponents retire and bought a free go within the quarter-finals, but additionally had a powerful victory over the in-form Casper Ruud within the spherical of 16. Nonetheless, it was his first time profitable three matches in a row since profitable the title in Basel final October.
In his largest remaining to-date, Auger-Aliassime didn’t again down as he fired 36 winners to his opponent’s 25, though he had barely extra unforced errors, 20 to fifteen. Although the Canadian is extra famend for his serve, it was Rublev having a neater go profitable 77 per cent of his first serve factors. He solely confronted 4 break factors, all within the first set, whereas creating 11 probabilities on Auger-Aliassime’s serve whereas profitable 64 per cent of second serve return factors.
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Auger-Aliassime couldn’t have requested for a a lot better begin as Rublev opened with a nightmare sport, double-faulting twice handy the Canadian a break to like to kick off proceedings.
All the things was clicking for Auger-Aliassime as he confirmed no indicators of nerves within the largest singles remaining of his profession to-date, profitable eight of the primary 9 factors after which benefiting from one other poor sport from his opponent to stretch his result in 4-1.
Because the set went alongside, Rublev began to seek out his vary and was in a position to counter the Canadian’s big-hitting. He reclaimed one of many breaks, saved a set level serving at 3-5 with an ace, after which had a break level to stage as Auger-Aliassime regarded to serve out the set. However the Montrealer used his massive hitting to erase the menace and shut it out.
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The second set was a slugfest, with the 2 males trade massive pictures from the baseline however not creating many alternatives to land a crucial blow.
Rublev had one break level probability halfway by means of the set however misfired a forehand. Having not confronted a break level in any of his six service video games, he utilized the stress when Auger-Aliassime served to remain within the set at 5-6. A few massive returns from the seventh seed drew errors that allowed him to interrupt and ship the match to a decider.
All of the momentum was with Rublev within the third set as he cruised on serve and utilized fixed stress when it was the Canadian’s flip. Nonetheless, Auger-Aliassime was in a position to pull out his finest pictures when going through break factors, firing off winners, large floor strokes, and massive serves each time Rublev had a glance, together with one maintain from 15-40 down at 1-2 the place he gained 4 consecutive factors with unreturned serves.
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Lastly, on the final time of asking earlier than a deciding set tiebreak, Auger-Aliassime couldn’t maintain on any longer. He despatched a backhand lengthy to provide Rublev a match level at 5-6, 30-40 and double-faulted to give up the match and the title.
Regardless of the loss, Auger-Aliassime will return to the High 20 within the ATP rankings on Monday.
