Félix Auger-Aliassime had every reason to believe that his crazy and strange epic in Madrid, marked by the withdrawal of three of his rivals, would end with the most prestigious title of his career. But the Quebecer finally lost his first final in a Masters 1000 after a long fight on Sunday.
Félix had the eighth in the world on the ropes during a set, but the Russian Andrey Rublev then found the level of play he presented throughout the last 12 days to finally win 4-6, 7- 5 and 7-5, after almost three hours of play which ended with… a double fault from the Quebecer.
“Felix, I already told you, but I have great respect for you,” praised the champion in his post-match thanks. You are an inspiration to everyone, with your professionalism. […] I wish you the best and much success.”
“FAA” was trying in this match to become the first Canadian player to win a singles title in the Masters category, the most important after the four Grand Slam tournaments. These Masters 1000 trophies are the prerogative of the elite: Novak Djokovic alone has 40, a record.
He was also in search of a first coronation on clay, his sixth career on all surfaces, and a 200e victory over the ATP.
Good in defeat
Despite the disappointment that we imagine to be immense, Auger-Aliassime will still leave the Spanish capital with a nice rise in the rankings – from 35e at the 20e place – and also, with an extra dose of confidence in your luggage.
AFP
Because after having experienced a difficult 2023 season and a mixed start to the campaign, Félix will be able to boast of having demonstrated very good things on the fast clay of Madrid.
Starting with this superb round of 16 match against fifth-seeded Norwegian Casper Ruud, a player generally dominant on the ocher.
A match that Auger-Aliassime won 6-4 and 7-5 thanks to a solid performance, which gave him his first victory on this surface against such a well-ranked player.
Photo AFP
But that’s when he was able to play. Because his third round match against Jakub Mensik ended after a set won 6-1, the Czech resigning, injured.
Then, his quarter-final against the favorite Jannik Sinner never took place, the Italian withdrawing with a hip injury. And in the semi-final, the 30e seeded Czech Jiri Lehecka withdrew in the seventh game after injuring his back.
This strange succession of abandonments could also have continued on Sunday: in his speech, Rublev, feverish, revealed that he had hardly slept for four days and that he had thought of ignoring this final.
Photo AFP
Sensational, then…
Of course, it is impossible to say whether “FAA” would have made it this far in the tournament, had it not been for these multiple twists of fate.
But in the final match, the former sixth player in the world seemed on track to deliver a performance as sensational as Tuesday’s.
Félix, 23, dominated the first set against a shaky Rublev – we now understand better why -, leading at one point by two breaks.
His rival, against whom the Quebecer has always played close matches despite his record of one victory against five losses, however miraculously regained his splendor in the second.
Then to the third and final, during which “FAA” had to call on the trainer twice to massage his sore thighs. The Montreal native faced six break points in this set, all of which he managed to save.
Except the last one, of course.
“I tried everything,” guaranteed Auger-Aliassime on the court, before receiving his finalists’ trophy. Andrey, you are an excellent player, we always have a good time together on the circuit, and you absolutely deserve this victory.
