Alcaraz falls to Rublev in Madrid Open quarters

Carlos Alcaraz’s quest for a third consecutive Madrid Open title came to an end with a defeat to Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. Alcaraz, the second seed, started strong but was eventually overcome by the seventh-seeded Rublev, falling 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 at the Caja Magica center court.

Alcaraz had battled through a tough three-set match against Jan-Lennard Struff the previous day and seemed to struggle, particularly towards the end of his match with Rublev. This tournament marked his return after sitting out at Monte Carlo and Barcelona due to a right forearm injury. Alcaraz, only 20, had hoped to play three or four matches in Madrid to ease back into competition.

During the match, Alcaraz was seen pressing on his forearm, which was covered by a long sleeve. He acknowledged feeling the injury more during this match than the previous day, stating, “Playing someone like Rublev that I couldn’t push him to the limit in every point is tough.”

Looking ahead, Alcaraz plans to compete in Rome as part of his preparation for the upcoming French Open, though he mentioned he would decide based on how his forearm feels in the coming days. He expressed a need for patience and careful management of his recovery.

Alcaraz was vying to become the first player to win the Madrid Open three times in a row and had remained unbeaten on Spanish soil since 2021.

Rublev, on the other hand, is chasing his second ATP 1000 title after his Monte Carlo win last year. He will face Taylor Fritz in the semifinals, crediting his calm demeanor and progressively better serve as key factors in his victory.

Fritz, the 12th seed, achieved his 250th tour-level win by defeating Francisco Cerundolo 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, making him the third American man to reach the Madrid semifinals, the first since Robby Ginepri in 2005.

In other tournament news, top seed Jannik Sinner withdrew due to a hip injury to avoid further aggravation. He had beaten Karen Khachanov and was set to play Felix Auger-Aliassime.

In the women’s draw, defending champion Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the semifinals after defeating 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva 6-1, 6-4. Sabalenka, aiming for her third Madrid title, will face fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina, who saved two match points against Yulia Putintseva to win 4-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5. Rybakina has won eight consecutive matches and is pushing for her sixth final appearance this year, building on a 16-match winning streak on clay.