From conquering Rafael Nadal to crushing Carlos Alcaraz: Andrey Rublev improves unbeaten record against Spaniards on clay with latest Madrid Open win

Andrey Rublev has always been a force to be reckoned with on claycourts. The Russian came from a set down to beat defending champion Carlos Alcaraz at the Madrid Open on Wednesday (May 1) to improve his unbeaten record against Spanish players on the surface to 13-0.

Rublev looked out of sorts at the beginning of the match as his younger opponent brought out the big guns to take the opening set 6-4. The 26-year-old refused to give up, responding strongly to take the next set 6-3. He then kept up his level in the decider, breaking the World No. 2 twice to take the third set and the match 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

The World No. 8 owns a winning record on clay against not only Carlos Alcaraz, but also Rafael Nadal, whom he beat in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Monte-Carlo Masters. The Russian has 13 wins on the dirt over his Spanish peers against no losses, which surely is an exemplary feat.

Andrey Rublev has also defeated World No. 28 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina twice (at the 2024 Madrid Masters and the 2023 Rome Masters) and former World No. 9 Roberto Bautista Agut thrice (at the 2021 Rome Masters, the 2021 Monte-Carlo Masters and the 2020 Hamburg Open) on clay.

The remainder of Rublev's wins against Spaniards on clay include beating Fernando Verdasco (2015 Barcelona Open), Pablo Carreno Busta (2019 Hamburg Open), Albert Ramos-Vinolas (2021 Barcelona Open), Jaume Munar (2023 Monte-Carlo Masters) and Bernabe Zapata Miralles (2023 Hamburg Open).

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Andrey Rublev to face Taylor Fritz for a place in the final of Madrid Open 2024

Andrey Rublev and Taylor Fritz embrace after their 2023 Monte-Carlo encounter

Andrey Rublev will take on 12th-seeded Taylor Fritz in the semifinals of the 2024 Madrid Masters later on Friday (May 3). The Russian trails the American 3-5 in their head-to-head meetings on the ATP Tour.

Taylor Fritz has been in scintillating form at the Caja Magica this fortnight. The 26-year-old didn't drop a single set in his defeats of Hubert Hurkacz, Sebastian Baez and Luciano Darderi en route to the last eight.

Fritz then kept his composure to complete a three-set win over Francisco Cerundolo to reach the semifinals of a claycourt Masters-level event for only the second time in his career. The World No. 13 will have revenge on his mind in Madrid when he faces Rublev, who came from a set down in the semifinals to beat him en route to his Monte-Carlo triumph last year.