Felix Auger-Aliassime handed over a double-fault on match point to send Andrey Rublev to a 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 title win on Sunday at the Madrid Masters
Seventh seed Rublev added Spanish honours to the Master title he won in 2023 at Monte Carlo; victory took two and three-quarter hours.
The winner could not believe his success after falling ill during the nearly two-week event but somehow soldiering on to the trophy.
The Madrid event ended a loss streak of six weeks for Rublev, who credited tournament doctors with keeping him fit for play.
“I had a fever, I was unwell, you would not believe what I went through over the past nine days,” he said.
“I was close to pulling out of the tournament, there were a few issues I could not fix.
“But the doctors worked some magic, they did some tricky things and I was able to play.
“This is the most proud I’ve ever been in my career, I have not spelt well for the past three or four nights. It wa a big mental stress.””
Rublev now owns two Masters titles after winning Monte Carlo in 2023, also on clay.
Auger-Aliassime went up a double break in the opening set but squandered a 40-0 lead to drop serve as Rublev climbed to 2-4; but four games later the Canadian captured the set.
The second stayed strictly on serve until Rublev struck in the 12th game with a break to square the evening at the Caja Magica at a set apiece.
Rublev will improve to sixth in the world in Monday’s rankings heading into the Rome start on Wednesday.
Main photo:- Andry Rublev celebrates as he wins Madrid Title – by ISF LTD
