Rublev, Defending Champion in Madrid, Defeated by Bublik

Andrey Rublev had a lot at stake during these two weeks at the Madrid Masters 1000, as he was defending his title.

His tournament debut was slightly delayed due to Gaël Monfils' withdrawal. This Sunday, he faced Alexander Bublik in the third round.

Unfortunately for him, he was caught off guard in the first set, losing it 6-4 in just 29 minutes. The Russian managed to level the match at one set apiece with a surprising 6-0.

But the third set quickly swung in Bublik's favor thanks to an early break, which he never relinquished. In the end, the Kazakh triumphed 6-4, 0-6, 6-4.

This loss will have significant ranking consequences for Rublev, who is expected to drop to around 17th in the world in the next ATP rankings.

He will exit the Top 15 for the first time since January 2020.