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 eliminated by the tournament’s fifth seed, Jessica Pegula, on Friday. The opening set was a relatively straightforward affair for Norrie, who seized it 6‑2 by serving aggressively and dictating play from the baseline. However, the second set proved far more contentious.
After a tightly contested battle, Machac managed to level the match and even earned a match point, putting the British No. 1 under immense pressure.
Norrie, refusing to concede, saved the match point and forced a decider. Entering the third set, Norrie found himself in a precarious position, trailing 5‑3 with Machac serving for the match. Demonstrating resilience, Norrie broke back at a crucial juncture, turning the tables on his Czech opponent.
The set progressed to a tiebreak, where Norrie maintained his composure and clinched the breaker 7‑5, ultimately sealing the match with a 6‑2, 6‑7 (6‑8), 7‑6 (7‑5) victory. Reflecting on the win, Norrie told Sky Sports that the encounter 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 British player’s next opponent will be determined by the outcome of the match between Argentine hopeful Thiago Agustín Tirante and the 15th‑seeded American Tommy Paul, who was ousted earlier in the tournament. Tirante’s victory over Paul would set up a compelling showdown with Norrie, offering the Briton a chance to build on his momentum. Norrie's performance in Madrid follows a strong showing in Barcelona, where he reached the quarter‑finals of the Barcelona Open the week before.
Despite his recent successes, Madrid has historically been a challenging venue for him; he has never progressed beyond the third round at this event until now. On the women’s side, Katie Boulter’s campaign came to an abrupt end when she fell 6‑4, 6‑4 to Jessica Pegula. Boulter, who had been hoping to ride the wave of her recent form, was unable to match the power and consistency of the American, who is currently seeded fifth. Adding a personal note to the day’s drama, Boulter accompanied her fiancé, Australian rising star Alex de Minaur, onto the court after his own disappointing loss to Spanish youngster Rafael Jodar.
The couple’s double setback underscored the emotional rollercoaster that professional tennis can bring. Elsewhere in the tournament, world No.
1 Jannik Sinner staged a remarkable comeback, overturning a first‑set deficit to defeat France’s Benjamin Bonzi 6‑7 (6‑8), 6‑1, 6‑4. The victory marked Sinner’s 18th consecutive win, extending his dominant run that already includes titles at Indian Wells, the Miami Open, and the Monte Carlo Masters. In the women’s draw, former Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina recovered from an early 4‑6 set loss to outlast Romania’s Elena Gabriela Ruse 4‑6, 6‑3, 7‑5, showcasing her mental toughness and tactical adaptability. Meanwhile, American sensation Coco Gauff dispatched French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean in convincing fashion, cruising to a 6‑3, 6‑0 win that propelled her into the third round.
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