Aryna Sabalenka powered through her second‑round match in Madrid on Saturday, dispatching Romania's Jaqueline Cristian in straight sets, 6-1 6-4, in just one hour and 25 minutes. The Belarusian, who entered the tournament as the defending champion, will now meet Naomi Osaka in the round of 16, a clash that could secure her a spot in the quarter‑finals. Sabalenka, who currently holds the world No.
1 ranking, has now compiled an impressive streak of 14 consecutive victories on the WTA Tour. Reflecting on her performance, she said, "The first set was especially amazing for me. I even managed a one‑handed backhand, which is a bit crazy – I think that was the shot of my life, for sure." In other news, veteran American Venus Williams celebrated her first win since the US Open, this time in the doubles draw, alongside Britain's Katie Boulter. The duo, a last‑minute pairing, overcame a set deficit to defeat the Chinese team of Jiang Xinyu and Xu Yifan 4-6 6-3 (10-7) in the opening round.
Williams, now 45, is enduring a ten‑match losing streak in singles after another first‑round exit in Madrid, but she had not captured a doubles victory since reaching the US Open quarter‑finals with Leylah Fernandez last summer. Boulter praised the experience, stating, "It was great, it was so much fun.
It’s a privilege to be on court together – I definitely don’t want to be on the opposite side of the net. Playing with Venus was a dream and I enjoyed every minute of it." The tournament also saw a dramatic withdrawal from former world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who pulled out of her third‑round match against Ann Li in tears. Swiatek, who has yet to progress beyond the quarter‑finals in any event this season, disclosed after the match that she was battling a virus.
She had her temperature and blood pressure checked after losing the first two games of the deciding set. Despite taking medication and attempting to continue, she appeared fatigued and ultimately retired while trailing Li 6-7 (4) 6-2 0-3 0-30. "The last two days have been terrible," Swiatek said. "I think I have a virus.
Some hours I feel fine, other hours I feel really bad. I heard there might be a virus circulating on site.
I'm sure I’ll be okay in a few days, but I had zero energy." Swiatek had managed to turn the match around after dropping a tight opening set, but her physical condition made it clear she could not continue. When asked if she had considered not stepping onto the court at all, the fourth seed admitted, "I knew it would be hard, but I still wanted to try.
In the third set I started feeling dizzy and uncoordinated. I couldn't drink anything because I felt constantly full, and my energy plummeted." She will now focus on recovery before the upcoming Italian Open in Rome, hoping to regain form under new coach Francisco Roig ahead of the French Open. "It’s sad I can’t play because I was feeling good with my game and 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 dropped the second set to Argentina's Mariano Navone but rebounded to win 6-1 3-6 6-3, securing his place in the next round. Defending champion Casper Ruud cruised past Spain's Jaume Munar with a dominant 6-0 6-1 victory, while third seed Felix Auger‑Aliassime also progressed to the third round.
The Madrid Open continues to offer a blend of high‑stakes singles drama and unexpected doubles pairings, providing fans with a showcase of both established stars and rising talents. As the tournament moves deeper into its schedule, the spotlight will shift to the upcoming quarter‑finals, where the remaining competitors will battle for a coveted spot in the semifinals and ultimately the championship title. Viewers can follow live action via Sky Sports, NOW, or the Sky Sports app, which promises over 50 percent more live sport coverage this year at no extra cost.