Carlos Alcaraz overcame a determined Andrey Rublev in a gripping quarter-final to book his place in the Cincinnati Open 2025 semi-finals. The second seed fought through a nervy final set, committing 15 unforced errors and three double faults, yet still emerged victorious 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 to reach his 12th ATP Masters 1000 semi-final.
The Spaniard’s run in Ohio has been far from smooth, but his mental resolve has carried him through. “It’s just [about] accepting the moment, accepting that I am playing a third set, accepting that it’s going to be a really tough battle, and I love that,” said Alcaraz.
Mental Toughness Defines the Match
This season, Alcaraz has seen the second set slip away after winning the first on 10 occasions in best-of-three matches, yet he has won nine of those encounters. His potential path to the title could see him face top seed Jannik Sinner in the final, with the Italian yet to lose a set in the tournament.
“I maintained positive thoughts all the time, even though I lost focus a few times during the second set,” Alcaraz shared. “Playing someone like Andrey, when you lose focus on two or three points, it [can] cost you the set or almost the match. I just stayed strong mentally and that’s what I’m most proud of.”
Swinging Momentum in the Decider
Breaking Rublev for a 5-3 lead in the third set, Alcaraz celebrated with a roar but stumbled in the next service game, starting with a double fault. Rublev drew level at 5-5, but the Spaniard recovered to clinch the match and extend his ATP Masters 1000 winning streak to 15, building on titles in Monte-Carlo and Rome.
The win also places him alongside Carlos Moya for the third-most ATP Masters 1000 semi-finals by a Spanish player. Up next, he faces either Ben Shelton or Alexander Zverev for a spot in the final.
Rublev’s Hopes Fade in the Final Stages
Rublev, a finalist in Cincinnati in 2021, raised his level in the second set with just four unforced errors, but could not sustain the pressure in the decider. The set was briefly paused for a medical incident in the stands, after which Alcaraz regained control.
Despite making the quarter-finals for the second year running, Rublev drops to No. 15 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. Alcaraz, meanwhile, maintains a commanding 1,540-point lead over Jannik Sinner in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin, with both men already securing their spots at the Nitto ATP Finals.
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