The misfortune of one person makes the happiness of others, they say, and this formula applies well to Félix Auger-Aliassime in Madrid. The Quebecer will not have to face the world number two, Jannik Sinner, on Thursday, since the Italian withdrew from the tournament due to a hip injury.
Due to the withdrawal of the favorite of the event, the 35th in the world therefore finds himself in the semi-final of a tournament in the Masters 1000 category, the second most important after that of the Grand Slam, for the first time in 15 months, i.e. from that of Paris, in 2022.
Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the Mutua Madrid Open with a right-hip injury. As a result, he will not take to the court on Thursday to play his quarter-final match against Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Get well soon, @janniksin 😘 pic.twitter.com/iWFdtEgWrC
— #MMOPEN (@MutuaMadridOpen) May 1, 2024
Félix then saw his superb streak of 16 consecutive victories (and three titles in a row) end at the hands of the Dane Holger Rune.
“I wish you the best and a quick get back on your feet,” wrote “FAA” to Sinner, on Instagram, after the news was announced. I’m sure you’ll be back on the field soon for some good battles.”
Long treatments
Sinner had foreshadowed a withdrawal from the event on Tuesday, following his victory in three sets, in the round of 16, against the 16th seed, the Russian Karen Khachanov.
Photo AFP
The 22-year-old Italian, champion of the last Australian Open, explained that he had to undergo a long night of treatment earlier in the tournament. He didn’t know how his hip would be when he woke up this time, since he had to spend two hours on the court against Khachanov.
“If I don’t feel able to play, I won’t,” he told reporters.
Another big order
If it had taken place, Felix could have started the confrontation against Sinner with a certain confidence, since he beat him in their only two confrontations. But as the Quebecer pointed out on Wednesday, “many things have changed” for the Italian since then, he who is now well established in the upper reaches of the ATP rankings.
However, the scenario will be completely different for Félix for his third career appearance in the final four of a Masters 1000 tournament (the first dates back to Miami in 2019). He will face the winner of the duel between the Russian Daniil Medvedev (3rd) and the Czech Jiri Lehecka (30th).
Photo AFP
In both cases, it will be a big order for the Quebecer: he has a record of seven losses in as many matches against Medvedev and he lost against Lehecka during their only confrontation, at the 2023 Australian Open. .
But Auger-Aliassime, 23, can already boast of having signed a first in Madrid this week. He had never defeated on clay a player as highly ranked as the Norwegian Casper Ruud, sixth in the world, whom he eliminated in the round of 16 on Tuesday.
▶ Thanks to this great epic until the semi-final in Madrid, Félix Auger-Aliassime should at the very least find the 27e world ranking on Monday, up eight places compared to this week.