Aryna Sabalenka powered through the opening round of the Madrid Open on Saturday, dispatching Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4, in a match that lasted just one hour and 25 minutes. The Belarusian, who entered the tournament as the defending champion, will now meet fellow Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the round of 16, with a place in the quarter‑finals at stake. The world No.1, who has now compiled a streak of 14 consecutive victories across all surfaces, reflected on her dominant performance after the win. “The first set was especially amazing for me,” Sabalenka said.
“I even managed to hit a one‑handed backhand, which is a bit crazy for me. That shot was probably the best of my life, no doubt about it.” Her confidence is palpable, and she appears intent on adding another Madrid title to her growing résumé. In another part of the tournament, veteran American Venus Williams celebrated her first win since the U.S. Open, this time in the doubles draw, alongside Britain’s rising star Katie Boulter.
The pair entered the competition as a last‑minute partnership after Boulter asked Williams to team up for the event. Despite dropping the opening set 4-6, the duo rallied to claim the second set 6-3 and then clinched the match‑tiebreak 10-7, defeating the Chinese team of Jiang Xinyu and Xu Yifan. Williams, now 45, has endured a 10‑match losing streak in singles at the Madrid Open, having fallen in the first round again this year. In doubles, she had not recorded a victory since reaching the quarter‑finals of the U.S.
Open with Leylah Fernandez last summer. The win with Boulter, however, seemed to lift her spirits. "It was great, it was so much fun," Boulter said. "Just being on the same side of the net as Venus was a privilege – I don’t want to be on the opposite side!
It was wonderful to play with her and I enjoyed every minute." The tournament also delivered a sobering moment when former world No.1 Iga Swiatek was forced to retire from her third‑round match against American Ann Li. Swiatek, who has yet to progress beyond the quarter‑finals in any event this season, announced after losing the first two games of the decisive set that she was feeling unwell. She later revealed that a virus was affecting her, causing a fever and fluctuating blood pressure. Swiatek tried to push through after taking medication, but her energy levels continued to plummet.
She fell behind Li 6-7 (4), 6-2, 0-3 (0-30) before walking off the court in tears. "The last two days have been terrible," the Pole confessed. "I think I have a virus.
Some hours I feel okay, other hours I feel really bad. I heard there might be something circulating among the players here. I’m sure I’ll recover in a few days, but I had zero energy today." She explained that she had felt a dizzy spell and a loss of coordination early in the third set, making it impossible to stay hydrated or maintain her usual intensity.
"I knew it would be hard, but I still wanted to try," Swiatek said when asked if she had considered withdrawing before stepping onto the court. "In the third set I started feeling a little bit dizzy and not really coordinated.
I couldn’t really drink anything because I just felt full constantly, and the energy went down drastically." Swiatek’s focus now shifts to recovery, with an eye on the upcoming Italian Open in Rome. She hopes to regain form under the guidance of her new coach, Francisco Roig, before the French Open at Roland Garros.
"It’s sad that I can’t play because I was feeling good with my game and was moving forward," she lamented. "The tournament just started.
I couldn’t even compete today, so it’s disappointing." On the men’s side, second seed Alexander Zverev faced a brief scare against Argentina’s Mariano Navone, dropping the second set 3-6 before rebounding to seal a 6-1, 6-3 victory. Defending champion Casper Ruud continued his strong start, cruising past Spain’s Jaume Munar with a 6-0, 6-1 win, while third seed Felix Auger‑Aliassime also advanced to the third round. The Madrid Open continues to provide a blend of high‑octane tennis, unexpected storylines, and moments of human vulnerability.
Fans can follow live action via the Sky Sports app, stream with NOW, or watch on traditional broadcast channels. The tournament’s schedule promises more thrilling matchups in the days ahead, as players vie for valuable ranking points and the prestige of conquering one of Europe’s premier clay‑court events.