Wow. Felix Auger-Aliassime gets his best win of the year, beating #6 Casper Ruud (race top 3, Barcelona champ) 6-4, 7-5 to reach the QFs in Madrid. First M1000 QF since Indian Wells 2023. Good to see.
Felix Auger-Aliassime is the latest player into the Madrid Open Quarter-Finals and will face Jannik Sinner after taking down Casper Ruud 6-4, 7-5 on Tuesday evening to end his recent clay court dominance and achieve a first for himself for over a year.
Ruud recently won Barcelona and reached the final of Monte-Carlo beating and losing out to Stefanos `Tsitsipas and was even seen by Cameron Norrie as the favourite for Roland Garros. But his streak fell short here as he lost out to a resurgent Canadian in a superb win. It is the first Quarter-Final for FAA since Indian Wells in 2023 with the downward spiral being seen by him over the past season mainly due to injuries which weren't sorted.
He won in exactly two hours narrowly claiming the opening set with a break of serve to go 4-3 up, but was barely troubled on his own serve. Ruud lost serve again to begin set two but it was soon back on at 2-2. But at the dying embers of the second set with it firmly poised, Ruud lost it again at 6-5 and Felix Auger-Aliassime sealed the win from there.
Next up is Jannik Sinner who wasn't at his best against Karen Khachanov but found a way to win sealing it 5-7, 6-3, 6-3. He is into a 12th Masters Quarter-Final, sits at 28-2 in 2024 and 48-4 since the US Open. His streak continues despite recent hip problems which have threatened to derail him in Madrid.
He was touch and go whether he would even play against the Russian this afternoon, but tested it out during practice and decided to play. He now faces Auger-Aliassime who will hope to take advantage of a weary Sinner. But Sinner with his back against the wall showed his true grit, resolve and fight to find his way through. He takes one step closer to the title and also the World No.1 spot. But will of course fear for Rome or Roland Garros if injury fears continue.
Wow. Felix Auger-Aliassime gets his best win of the year, beating #6 Casper Ruud (race top 3, Barcelona champ) 6-4, 7-5 to reach the QFs in Madrid. First M1000 QF since Indian Wells 2023. Good to see.