Injury Hands Felix Auger-Aliassime Maiden ATP Masters 1000 Final Spot in Madrid

Canada‘s Felix Auger-Aliassime secured a spot in his first ATP Masters 1000 final in Madrid after Czech player Jiri Lehecka was forced to retire due to injury. The shortened semi-final match saw Lehecka exiting at 3-3 in the opening set, adding to a series of unfortunate exits from Auger-Aliassime’s opponents throughout the tournament.

The young Lehecka, coming off a win against Rafael Nadal, faced lower back issues midway through the first set. Emotions ran high as Lehecka left the court during the seventh game and was unable to continue. Auger-Aliassime, who had advanced due to previous retirements in the competition, comforted an emotional Lehecka as the Czech player had to end the match abruptly, leaving the court in tears.

As Auger-Aliassime heads to the final against Andrey Rublev, he is poised to return to the Top 20 in the ATP rankings. The Canadian athlete, who has faced his own injury challenges recently, will look to improve his 4-1 losing head-to-head record against Rublev. The upcoming final promises an intense battle between the two players, with the Canadian seeking a significant career milestone on the ATP tour.