Alcaraz’s Madrid Open reign ended by Rublev, Sinner withdraws due to injury

In a stunning turn of events at the Madrid Open, Carlos Alcaraz’s incredible 25-match winning streak on Spanish clay came to an end at the hands of Andrey Rublev. The Russian seventh seed staged a remarkable comeback after dropping the first set to defeat the second-seeded Alcaraz 4-6 6-3 6-2 in the quarter-finals.

Alcaraz, who was aiming to make history by winning three consecutive Madrid Open singles titles, fell short against a determined Rublev. The 20-year-old Spaniard, who missed previous clay court events due to injury, struggled to find his rhythm against Rublev’s aggressive play, which included 30 winners.

Rublev’s victory not only ended his own four-match losing streak but also dealt a blow to Spain’s hopes in Madrid, following Rafael Nadal’s earlier exit from the tournament. The Russian will now face American Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals, who secured his 250th tour-level win by defeating Francisco Cerundolo.

In the women’s draw, defending champion Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the semi-finals with a dominant performance against Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva. Sabalenka, the second seed, will face Elena Rybakina in a highly anticipated match-up after the Kazakh player fought back from a set down to defeat Yulia Putintseva.

Meanwhile, Italian star Jannik Sinner was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to a hip injury, following doctors’ advice. Sinner, who expressed his disappointment at missing out on the competition, will now focus on recovering for the upcoming Italian Open and the French Open later this month.

As the Madrid Open continues to deliver thrilling matches and unexpected outcomes, tennis fans around the world eagerly await the conclusion of the tournament to see who will emerge victorious on the clay courts of Spain.