ATP quarterfinal action started on Friday at the 2025 Cincinnati Open, with a match featuring world #2 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, facing of against world #11 Andrey Rublev of Russia. The two have met 6 times on tour with Alcaraz winning 4 of them, most recently in the round of 16 at Wimbledon. Rublev has not beaten Alcaraz on hard courts since 2022.
The road to this match looked like this.
Following a 1st round bye, Alcaraz would defeat Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia-Herzegovina in the 2nd round, Hamad Medjedovic of Serbia in the 3rd round, and Luca Nardi of Italy in the round of 16.
Rublev also received a 1st round bye. He would then defeat American Learner Tien in the 2nd round, Australian Alexei Popyrin in the 3rd round, before defeating Francisco Comesana of Argentina in the round of 16.
This match started with Alcaraz getting 2 breaks and quickly taking the 1st set. In the 2nd set, Rublev would take the lone break taking that set. The match would come down to the third set.
After a small delay for a fan who passed out in the stands, the men would resume play. At 2-1, Alcaraz would fail to seize on the 1st 2 break points of the thrid set, and Rublev would even it at 2-2. Alcaraz would hold to got to 3-2. Both men would hold in the next change over, then at 4-3, Alcaraz would finally capitalize on a double break point chance and go up 5-3. Rublev was not done yet though. He would return the favor and break Alcaraz to go into the change over at 5-4 Alcaraz. Rublev would then hold serve putting the pressure on the Roland Garros champion. Alcaraz would hold serve meaning now Rublev had to hold to send it to a tiebreaker. Unfortunately for the Russian at 30-40 match point for Alcaraz, Rublev would double fault, send a ball out of the stadium in frustration, and send Alcaraz on to the semifinals.
Carlos Alcaraz defeats Andrey Rublev 6-3,4-6,7-5.
Alcaraz will play the winner of the Alexander Zverev vs Ben Shelton match which plays later this evening.
After the match Carlos Alcaraz spoke with the media.