Cameron Norrie fought his way past Tomas Machac in a three‑set thriller to secure a place in the third round of the Madrid Open, while his compatriot Katie Boulter was dispatched by fifth‑seeded Jessica Pegula on Friday. Norrie's match began with a dominant first set, as he quickly seized control and closed it out 6‑2. The British No.1 seemed to have the upper hand, but the Czech challenger, Machac, rallied in the second set, pushing the encounter to a tiebreak. Norrie found himself on the brink of defeat when he faced a match point; Machac was serving for the match at 5‑3 in the third set, and a break seemed inevitable.
However, Norrie produced a crucial service break at that moment, leveling the score and forcing a decisive tiebreak. He then edged the tiebreak 7‑5, completing a hard‑earned 6‑2, 6‑7 (6‑8), 7‑6 (7‑5) victory. Reflecting on the win, Norrie told Sky Sports that the contest was "one of the favourite matches of my career." He explained, "I was feeling the ball really well in the first set but it was tough to hang with him in the second and I had to dig deep in the third set when I was down a break.
It was so, so good. The atmosphere was electric and it tested me in so many ways.
These are the kind of matches where you can get through them and go on to have a great week." The win marks a significant milestone for Norrie, who had never advanced beyond the third round in Madrid before. After his impressive run in Barcelona, where he reached the quarter‑finals, he now looks forward to a potential showdown with Argentine player Thiago Agustín Tirante, who eliminated 15th‑seeded American Tommy Paul in the previous round. On the women's side, Katie Boulter's campaign ended in the second round as she fell 6‑4, 6‑4 to Jessica Pegula.
Boulter, 29, had accompanied her fiancé, Australian star Alex de Minaur, onto the court after his own loss to rising Spanish talent Rafael Jodar. Despite a valiant effort, Boulter could not turn the tide, resulting in a double disappointment for the couple on the same day. Elsewhere in Madrid, world No.
1 Jannik Sinner staged a comeback after dropping the opening set, defeating France's Benjamin Bonzi 6‑7 (6‑8), 6‑1, 6‑4 to notch his 18th consecutive victory. Sinner’s streak follows titles at Indian Wells, the Miami Open, and the Monte Carlo Masters, underscoring his dominance on the tour. Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina also showed resilience, overturning a 4‑6 first‑set loss to beat Romania's Elena Gabriela Ruse 4‑6, 6‑3, 7‑5. Meanwhile, American rising star Coco Gauff powered through a straightforward 6‑3, 6‑0 win over Leolia Jeanjean, securing her place in the third round.
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Looking ahead, Norrie's next challenge will test his momentum. Tirante, who dispatched Paul in straight sets, is known for his aggressive baseline play and could provide a stern test for the British player.
If Norrie can replicate the fighting spirit he displayed against Machac, he stands a good chance of making a deep run in a tournament that has historically proven elusive for him. For Boulter, the loss serves as a learning moment as she prepares for upcoming events on the WTA tour.
Pegula, meanwhile, continues to assert her status as a top‑five player, adding another solid win to her résumé. Both British players will aim to build on the experiences gained in Madrid as the season progresses toward the clay‑court swing and eventually the grass‑court season.
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