Carlos Alcaraz might have set a record at the Madrid Open by winning this match, but Andrey Rublev was simply too excellent.
This was a significant surprise given Alcaraz’s previous success in Madrid. Rublev has been inconsistent in recent weeks, so no one expected him to overcome the Spaniard here. The Spaniard dominated the opening set, winning it 6-4.
It was a really close set, with opportunities on both sides, but the 20-year-old was simply too excellent. He won the most vital points, and the margins were in his favour. That’s what changed as the match progressed: he wasn’t as sharp as he was in the first set.
Rublev performed admirably in the first set, serving efficiently but making a few errors. That’s what it takes to defeat Alcaraz on this court; you must go above and beyond. Rublev won the second set 6-3 because he changed the script. He was simply too dominant, winning 10 races to Alcaraz’s two losses.
As is typical with top players, the match was decided by margins throughout. Rublev also performed admirably in important occasions. At the start of the third set, after breaking Alcaraz, the home player faced break points but served his way out.
Any time Alcaraz saw an opportunity, he would find a strange angle that would set him up for the forehand. Alcaraz’s final set was not very impressive, as he was just outclassed by Rublev, who hammered every corner.
It didn’t matter if it was the serve or the groundstrokes; Rublev simply played sharper than Alcaraz, and it showed in the score. The final score was 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 for the Russian, who had one of those insane days when everything works. It is unfortunate that it occurred today, as it cost Alcaraz two records.