We are in the round of 64 at the ATP 1000 Mutua Madrid Open. The second Masters on clay for the season. The welliked French veteran Gael Monfils will square off with the defending champion in Madrid, Andrey Rublev in the last match of the day.
The match tonight will be the fifth encounter between these two players. Rublev is up three to one in the head to head. The first match they faced each other was The final in Doha back in 2018. Monfils won that one. Since then Rublev had taken care of Gael three straight times. Cincinnati in 2021, The US Open in 2023 and The Rolex Masters in Monte Carlo a couple of weeks ago. Rublev won the round of 32 match in two sets, 6-4, 7-6 (2).
Gael faced Borna Gojo, a qualifier from Croatia, in his opening match at the Mutua Madrid Open. Monfils won the match in three sets, 1-6, 6-2, 6-4. The match was over after one hour and 43 minutes. The match was pretty even and Gojo won one more point than Monfils, totally, in the match. Monfils had 15 winners to his 20 unforced errors. Rublev is one of the top seeds in Madrid and had a bye in the round of 128.
The 27 year old Moscow native has won one title this season. It was at the ATP 500 in Doha. Andrey defeated Draper in the final. Rublev lost in the first round of the Australian Open, reached the semi in Montpellier and the QF in Rotterdam before Doha. Then Rublev had early exits in Dubai, Indian Wells and the ATP 1000 Miami Masters. Andrey has a match record of eleven wins and nine losses on the tour in the 2025 season. Rublev is ranked at the 8th spot in the world.
The 38 year old from Paris started out the year with a loss to Djokovic in Adelaide and then he went on to win the title at the Brisbane International. The 13th of his Career. Gael made it to the round of 16 in Melbourne. Monfils lost straight away in Dubai. Reached the third round in Indian Wells, the fourth at the Miami Masters. Monfils is ranked at the 38th spot in the world at the moment. Gael has a match record of 16 wins and six losses in the 2025 season.
Andrey Rubvlev has worked a lot on his mental health issues as of late and seems much happier and relaxed on the court. The former russian super star player Marat Safinis is a part of his coaching staff these days. Rublev is the defending champion at the ATP 1000 Mutua Madrid Open. Andrey defeated Auger-Aliassime in the final and had a big win versus Alcaraz in the QF.
