05/05/24 04:19:00
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05/05 16:17 CDT Rublev overcomes fever and praises doctors after winning Madrid
Open for the 1st time
Rublev overcomes fever and praises doctors after winning Madrid Open for the
1st time
By TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer
MADRID (AP) --- Despite sleepless nights struggling with a fever, Andrey Rublev
found a way to fight back and win the Madrid Open for the first time.
Rublev was feeling sick all week but rallied to beat Felix Auger-Aliassime in
three sets on Sunday and clinch his second Masters 1000 title.
Rublev won 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 after Auger-Aliassime double-faulted on the last point
of the final at the clay-court tournament in the Spanish capital.
"I would say this is the most proud title of my career," Rublev said. "I was
almost dead every day. I was not sleeping at night. The last three, four days I
didn't sleep."
Rublev gave "full credit to the doctors," who were "doing some tricky things"
just to make sure he could play.
"I have no words," the eighth-ranked Rublev said. "If you knew what I had been
through in the past nine days you would not imagine that I would be able to win
a title."
The 26-year-old Russian won his first Masters 1000 title at Monte Carlo last
year. Auger-Aliassime was playing in his first final at this level.
Rublev entered Madrid on a four-game losing streak after early exits at Indian
Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Barcelona. One of his victories in Madrid came in
the quarterfinals against home-crowd favorite Carlos Alcaraz.
He now has 16 career titles, and two this season after Hong Kong in January. He
had arrived with a 5-1 record against Auger-Aliassime, including a win in their
sole matchup on clay.
Auger-Aliassime's path to the final saw second-ranked Jannik Sinner withdraw
because of an injury ahead of the quarterfinals, and Jiri Lehecka retired
against the Canadian in the first set of the semifinals.
Other injuries hit the men's draw in Madrid, starting with Novak Djokovic's
withdrawal before the tournament. Daniil Medvedev retired in the quarterfinals,
while Alcaraz was hampered by a sore right arm and Rafael Nadal bowed out of
what was likely his last appearance in his home country.
Iga Swiatek won the women's title for the first time in her career on Saturday.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
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