Carlos Alcaraz is set to continue defending his title in Madrid as he faces Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, May 1. The Spanish player started strong in Madrid, despite missing out on Monte Carlo and Barcelona due to a right arm injury. He easily beat Ukraine’s Alexander Shevchenko in the second round with a 6-2, 6-1 victory and continued his strong performance with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Brazil’s Thiago Seyboth Wild.
Alcaraz’s fourth-round match against Jan-Lennard Struff was a rematch of last year’s final, and the Spaniard emerged victorious with a 6-3, 6-7(5), 7-6(4) win. He is now just three wins away from successfully defending his title and securing a second title in the Spanish capital.
Carlos Alcaraz is currently playing at the 2024 Mutua Madrid Open, the fourth Masters event in the ATP calendar. The event is played outdoors on red clay and is held annually at the end of April, leading up to Roland Garros. Alcaraz made his debut in Madrid in 2021, where he lost to Rafael Nadal in the second round. However, he returned to win the event the following year, defeating Alexander Zverev and becoming the youngest-ever winner at the event at just 19 years old. He successfully defended his title the following year against Jan-Lennard Struff.
World No. 8 Andrey Rublev is Alcaraz’s next opponent at the 2024 Mutua Madrid Open. Rublev has been in excellent form in Madrid this year, not having dropped a single set. He began with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Facundo Bagnis in the second round, followed by a 7-6(10), 6-4 victory over hometown favorite Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. In the fourth round, Rublev defeated 24th seed Tallon Griekspoor with an impressive 6-2, 6-4 win.
Alcaraz and Rublev have only faced each other once before, with Alcaraz winning 7-5, 6-2 at the ATP Finals last year. Their quarterfinal match is set for Wednesday, May 1, and will be the second match of the day on the Manolo Santana Stadium, following Elena Rybakina and Yulia Putinseva’s encounter.
The match will be available for streaming on various channels and sites, depending on the viewer’s location.
