Andrey Rublev stayed really calm during his sensational win over Carlos Alcaraz at the 2024 Madrid Open, something that's quite unusual for him.
Beating Alcaraz at the Madrid Open is never easy, especially when the whole stadium is chanting his name. The Spaniard started really well in the match against Rublev, taking the opening set after some super precise play.
The Russian took a while to really get used to the level, but once he did, he took over. It was amazing to watch because it was Rublev at his peak. He hit the corners with his serve and just smashed the ball with his forehand and backhand.
He was even prepared for Alcaraz's drop shots, catching a few of them in crucial moments. It was a tremendous comeback that didn't really involve him complaining much.
He might be traumatized after the Dubai Championships fiasco, which nearly cost him a lot of money and points, but he was actually tired—at least according to his words.
The Russian jokingly said that he was simply too tired to complain during the match, focusing on using what little energy he had to play the match.
"I had no energy and no power to do anything else besides just to focus on the game. I had no energy to complain today (smiling)."
It worked out really well for him because he won the match and quite convincingly so. There was nothing Alcaraz could really do in the final set, as the Russian was everywhere, eventually winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
This run was much needed for Rublev, as he lost four consecutive matches prior to the ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid, which he admitted was partly to blame on the Dubai ordeal that left a mark on him. Now, he's on a four-match winning streak, and he'll try to push it even further.
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