The 2024 men’s singles Madrid Open concluded with surprising results. Players dropped like flies as injuries plagued several in the tournament. The final took place between Andrey Rublev and Felix Auger-Aliassime. The tournament favorites were Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who did not benefit from the championship, but the two finalists found a much-needed change.

The Canadian player took the lead and even arrived at match point, but Rublev’s mental strength did not allow him to give up. He won the final and his second Masters title. Now, both have found a different place in the ATP rankings.

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Aliassime had been on a steady decline since the beginning of 2023, and the 2024 season did not show much improvement either at first. The Madrid Open did wonders for him. He was the lucky player in the tournament, as he received three walkovers. Jakub Mensik withdrew from their round of 32 clash in the second set, Jannik Sinner withdrew before their quarterfinal bout and Jiri Lehecka had to retire from their semifinal bout at 3-3.

Aliassime faced and defeated Casper Ruud in the round of 16 6-4, 7-5, which showed that he had regained his form, which helped him climb to the top 10. He could not defeat Rublev in the final despite having the lead after the first set. Regardless, he earned 650 points, which helped him jump 15 spots as he now sits at rank 20.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner

Novak Djokovic did not participate. However, both found themselves leaving in the quarterfinal. Jannik Sinner had trouble with a hip injury and withdrew before his match. Carlos Alcaraz faced an issue with his right forearm before he entered the tournament and couldn’t surpass the eventual champion, Rublev, in the final.

Despite their exits, the two did not experience any change in rankings. Sinner, who was absent from Madrid in 2023, gained 200 points. Alcaraz, who was the two-time defending champion, lost 800 points. Regardless of these results, they have a good lead over their competitors and are still in the top 3.

Their positions might be in trouble as both stars are set to miss the Italian Open, and injuries force them out of Rome. The two will aim to recover in time for the French Open, where they will fight for points.

Other changes in the ATP table

Andrey Rublev, the big champion of Madrid, found his way to rank 6, jumping up two spots after collecting 100 points. Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas fell by one spot each after their early exits. Although he had to retire from the semifinal, Lehecka showed a great run, and he was rewarded with 650 points to jump up by 8 spots. 

Aside from minor changes, there have not been many changes at the top of the table despite a slew of withdrawals. The Madrid curse saw many favorites leave. Will they be able to overcome what held them back in Rome?