Andrey Rublev, the fifth seed, secured his spot in the final of the ATP Masters 1000 in Montreal, marking his second appearance in such a final this season. Rublev’s journey to the title match was marked by a hard-fought victory over Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi in the semi-finals, overcoming a significant two-hour rain delay to triumph with a 6-4, 6-2 scoreline.
Rublev, who clinched the Madrid Masters title earlier this year in May, now faces the challenge of Australian Alexei Popyrin in the final, scheduled for Monday evening. Popyrin earned his place in the final after dispatching last week’s ATP Washington champion, Sebastian Korda, with a 7-6 (7/0), 6-3 win in just 92 minutes.
The 2024 season has been a roller-coaster for Rublev, characterized by moments of brilliance but also marred by emotional outbursts on the court. Earlier in the year, he faced disqualification in Dubai after a heated altercation with a linesman. Despite these setbacks, Rublev’s decision to skip the Paris Olympics to focus on the North American hardcourt swing seems to have paid off, with the Russian expressing confidence in his preparation.
“That was the plan, to be set for the US Open,” Rublev remarked. “I guess if I’m in the finals of Montreal, it must be working.”
This final in Montreal marks the sixth Masters final of Rublev’s career, a milestone he reached after an impressive performance in the quarterfinals, where he defeated world number one, Jannik Sinner. Reflecting on his semi-final victory against Arnaldi, Rublev acknowledged the challenges posed by his opponent, who is set to rise to around 30th in the world rankings, potentially securing a seeding for the upcoming US Open.
“He can hit hard out of nowhere and doesn’t give you any rhythm. The wind did not help,” Rublev noted. “After the rain delay, I played much better. I was focused and could dictate and play more aggressive.”
In the other semi-final, Popyrin faced off against Sebastian Korda, with both players exchanging breaks in the first set before Popyrin dominated the tiebreaker without losing a point. The Australian then broke Korda’s serve at the start of the second set and maintained his lead to secure the victory, earning his first appearance in a Masters final.
“It means the world to reach this final, it’s amazing,” Popyrin said, expressing his excitement. “It’s an amazing feeling and achievement. I have to pat myself on the back.”
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