Rublev wins against Arnaldi to reach National Bank Open final

MONTREAL (AP) — In a decisive performance, fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev triumphed over Matteo Arnaldi with a score of 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals of the National Bank Open on Sunday. The match was interrupted by a rain delay early in the second set, lasting 1 hour and 40 minutes, but Rublev maintained his focus to secure the victory. This win adds to Rublev's successful year, which includes titles in Madrid and Hong Kong. Rublev's path to the semifinals included a notable victory against top-seeded Jannik Sinner, where he won 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 in a match that also faced rain delays. Arnaldi, hailing from Italy, was competing in his first Masters 1000-level semifinal, marking a significant milestone in his career despite the loss. In the other semifinal, American Sebastian Korda, fresh off a victory in Washington, was set to face Alexei Popyrin of Australia. Korda advanced to the semifinals after defeating second-seeded Alexander Zverev in a closely contested match, winning 7-6 (5), 1-6, 6-4. Popyrin also had a challenging quarterfinal, overcoming fourth-seeded Hubert Hurkacz with a score of 3-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5. The tournament has faced scheduling challenges due to weather, with rain causing cancellations on Thursday night and all of Friday as remnants of Tropical Storm Debby affected play. The event is now set to conclude on Monday.