Andrey Rublev dealt with a couple of issues ahead of the 2024 Madrid Open final, and so did Felix Auger-Aliassime, in his own words.
The Canadian took a medical timeout in the match to get a massage on his leg. Both players actually dealt with problems, especially the Russian, who admitted quite a few health issues after winning the final.
He dealt with an illness and spent a lot of time with doctors trying to get himself ready. He didn't sleep well because of it, and he also dealt with foot problems, actually taking a numbing shot just to play the final.
At the same time, Auger-Aliassime looked defeated towards the end because his leg clearly impacted him. He didn't move as well, and Rublev noticed that and moved him around with his shots.
When he also lost his serve late in the third set, Rublev was able to finish it off to win the match. Now, when it comes to what specifically he dealt with, the Canadian admitted he had cramps in his leg but also dealt with a stomach bug earlier in the event.
"It's been a strange week. I also suffered problems with my stomach in the middle of the tournament. One day I wasn't sure if I could play, and Mensik just got off. It's strange, I don't know. Rublev too, I don't know if there have been a virus maybe in Madrid."
"I was lucky not to play in the quarters or semis, and even so, today I had cramps I think it's something physical, it hasn't happened to me many times in my career. I guess my body was tired of fighting the virus all week."
He didn't play much leading up to the final as Jannik Sinner withdrew from their quarter-final, and Jiri Lehecka retired only six games into their semi-final. As the Canadian pointed out, it actually benefitted him greatly because he wasn't sure whether he could have played with the issue that he was having.
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