Madrid Open: Sabalenka and Zverev Win, Auger-Aliassime Loses

Tennis news: Sabalenka and Zverev advance at Madrid Open, Argentine players shine. Find out what happened on the courts.

Aryna Sabalenka began her Madrid Open campaign with a strong 6-3, 6-4 win over Anna Blinkova in the second round. The world number one is seeking a third title at the tournament.

This victory improved Sabalenka's Madrid Open record to 18-4. She previously won the title in 2021 and 2023, and was runner-up to Iga Swiatek last year.

Aryna Sabalenka dominated her match, racing to a 5-0 lead in the first set against Blinkova before losing a break but ultimately securing the set. She then took control of the second set with an early break, advancing to the third round.

Sabalenka will face her former doubles partner Elise Mertens in the next round. While her three Grand Slam titles have come on hard courts, Sabalenka has proven her versatility on clay, winning two trophies from nine finals on the surface.

Aryna Sabalenka views the French Open as a “challenge” and feels she has unfinished business there, having lost in the 2023 semi-finals to Karolina Muchova and the 2024 quarter-finals to Mirra Andreeva. Despite enjoying playing on clay, Sabalenka aims to overcome this hurdle.

“Every time I go there, it's like a challenge for me, even though I love playing on clay and I feel really good. But I like to accept tough challenges. So I really hope that one year I'll be able to get that beautiful trophy in my collection,” Sabalenka said. Meanwhile, the Madrid Open suffered another blow when world number nine Paula Badosa withdrew due to a lower back injury.

9/9 - Aryna Sabalenka is the ninth player to feature at the Madrid Open as World No. 1 - they all won at their tournament's debut in the history of the event. Role.#MMOPEN | @MutuaMadridOpen @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/GlXz4BWRZw

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) April 25, 2025

Paula Badosa's withdrawal from the Madrid Open due to a lower back injury follows fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz's exit on Thursday, citing hamstring and adductor issues.

The tournament saw other notable results, including the exit of 2022 champion Ons Jabeur, who lost to Moyuka Uchijima 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Meanwhile, Maria Sakkari bounced back with a 7-6(5), 6-3 win over Magda Linette, showing signs of regaining her form.

Zverev's Dominant Start

Alexander Zverev, the two-time Madrid champion, began his campaign with a dominant 6-2, 6-2 win over Roberto Bautista Agut. He hit 32 winners and made just 24 unforced errors.

Zverev expressed his fondness for the Madrid court, saying, “For me, I always say that this is my favourite centre court in the entire world. I only lost twice in my entire life here, so I hope that stays that way.” He awaits the winner of Nuno Borges or Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the third round.

Felix Auger-Aliassime, the 2024 finalist, suffered an early exit, losing to Juan Manuel Cerundolo 7-6(5), 6-4. The Canadian had a strong start to 2024, winning two titles and reaching the Dubai final, but is now on a four-match losing streak.

Auger-Aliassime is set to drop out of the top 25 in the upcoming rankings following the tournament, marking a significant slide from his former world number six ranking.

Argentine Success

Argentine players had a successful day, with Juan Manuel Cerundolo defeating Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6(5), 6-4, and his brother Francisco Cerundolo beating Harold Mayot 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the third round.

Francisco Cerundolo will face Francisco Comesana, who upset 13th-seeded Arthur Fils 7-6(4), 6-4. Fils criticized the new live electronic line-calling technology, citing discrepancies between court marks and video replays. Comesana shared Fils' concerns about accuracy but prefers electronic calls, noting line judges can be slow.