Aryna Sabalenka powered through her second‑round match at the Madrid Open 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 promises to determine who will move on to the quarter‑finals in the Spanish capital. Sabalenka, who currently holds the world No.
1 ranking, extended her impressive winning streak to 14 consecutive matches with the victory. Reflecting on her performance, she said, "The first set was especially amazing for me. I even managed to hit a one‑handed backhand, which is a bit crazy for me – that shot felt like the best of my life." In another part of the tournament, veteran American Venus Williams celebrated her first win since the US Open, this time in the doubles draw, alongside Britain's Katie Boulter.
The pair, who decided to team up after Boulter approached Williams with the idea, rallied from a set down to defeat the Chinese duo of Jiang Xinyu and Xu Yifan, 4-6 6-3 (10-7), in the opening round. Williams, now 45, is currently enduring a ten‑match losing streak in singles after another first‑round exit in Madrid, but her doubles form is showing signs of revival after a long spell without a win since the US Open quarter‑finals she reached with Leylah Fernandez last summer.
Boulter expressed her delight, saying, "It was great, so much fun. Being on the same side of the net with Venus was a privilege – I definitely didn’t want to be on the opposite side.
Playing with her was a wonderful experience and I enjoyed every minute of it." The tournament also saw a dramatic moment when former world No. 1 Iga Swiatek withdrew from her third‑round match against Ann Li, visibly upset and in tears.
Swiatek, who has yet to progress beyond the quarter‑finals at any event this season, later explained that she was battling a virus that left her with fever and fluctuating blood pressure. After losing the first two games of the deciding set, she tried to push through with medication, but her condition deteriorated, and she fell behind Li 6-7 (4) 6-2 0-3 0-30 before conceding the match.
"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 something circulating among the players here. I'm sure I'll recover in a few days, but I had zero energy today." She added that she felt dizzy and unable to hydrate properly, describing a constant sensation of fullness that sapped her stamina. Swiatek will now focus on recuperating ahead of the Italian Open in Rome next month, where she hopes to regain form under the guidance of her new coach, Francisco Roig, before the French Open.
"It's sad that I can't play because I was feeling good with my game and was making progress," she lamented. "The tournament just started, and I couldn't even compete today, which is disappointing." On the men's side, second seed Alexander Zverev overcame a brief setback, dropping the second set to Argentina's Mariano Navone before rallying to win 6-1 3-6 6-3. Defending champion Casper Ruud displayed his dominance with a swift 6-0 6-1 victory over Spain's Jaume Munar, while third seed Felix Auger‑Aliassime also advanced to the third round without dropping a set. The Madrid Open continues to deliver a mix of high‑level tennis, unexpected withdrawals, and inspiring comebacks.
As the competition moves deeper into the second week, fans can look forward to marquee matchups such as Sabalenka versus Osaka and the ongoing battles for the women's and men's titles. The tournament also highlights the physical toll the sport can take, with Swiatek's illness serving as a reminder of the importance of health and recovery in a demanding calendar. With the ATP and WTA tours streaming live on Sky Sports and the NOW platform, viewers have ample opportunities to catch all the action, including highlights, in‑depth analysis, and exclusive behind‑the‑scenes content.
The event remains a key stop on the clay‑court season, shaping the narratives that will lead into the upcoming French Open, where players will aim to translate their Madrid performances into Grand Slam success.