Rublev v Auger-Aliassime: Final preview
When Andrey Rublev and Felix Auger-Aliassime square off on a tennis court, one can always expect a gruelling tug of war will unfold. Their most recent meeting was a two-hour 33-minute duel in the round of 16 in Rotterdam last February, in which Auger-Aliassime held three consecutive match points late in the deciding set before […]
New heights for Auger-Aliassime in the Caja Magica
The Manolo Santana Stadium drew a collective gasp when Jiri Lehecka fell to his knees on the clay and called an end to his tournament. Felix Auger-Aliassime automatically progressed to the final of the Mutua Madrid Open after the Czech’s retirement through injury following a misstep in game five of the first set, when he […]
Swiatek takes no prisoners in the Caja Magica
Iga Swiatek has given herself a second chance. The Pole is back in the Mutua Madrid Open final one year on as she vies to avenge the defeat there to Aryna Sabalenka (2023). On Thursday, the world No.1 raced to victory over Madison Keys (6-1, 6-3), with the kind of dominance she has produced all […]
Sabalenka stops Andreeva in her tracks
After three hard-fought three-set wins at the Mutua Madrid Open, Aryna Sabalenka finally enjoyed a more straightforward encounter on Wednesday, against emerging talent Mirra Andreeva (6-1, 6-4). The two-time champion in the Caja Magica required one hour and 19 minutes of tennis, time during which she fired 35 winners and did not concede a single […]
Game, set and eternity: Nadal
The close of play on Tuesday provided one of the most special moments in the history of the Mutua Madrid Open. The stroke of midnight between April 30 and May 1 2024 in the Caja Magica marked the moment of the final farewell to the Caja Magica from the five-time champion of the tournament (2005, […]
Keys emulates Williams sisters with great escape against Jabeur
Coming into Madrid, the last time Madison Keys had won three matches in a row was at the 2023 US Open eight months ago. The American power-hitter missed the first two months of this season with a shoulder injury – she tore her latissimus dorsi muscle just two weeks before flying to Australia to kick […]
Cerúndolo sinks two-time champion Zverev
Francisco Cerúndolo was not daunted by the 13-centimetre height between him and the man on the other side of the net, Alexander Zverev. Solid from the baseline, opening up angles, playing drop shots and daring passes, the Argentine played out of his skin on Tuesday on the clay of the Arantxa Sánchez Stadium. The Buenos […]
«The support I’m getting this year in Madrid is even more special, if that’s possible»
“It’s positive, because now I don’t feel that something went wrong with my body. Let’s see what happens tomorrow. But I’m gonna try. I’m gonna do things the right way to try to be ready for tomorrow”, Rafael Nadal assured the media on Monday shortly after coming through another match, this one requiring three hours […]
Being an inspiration fuels Swiatek
Iga Swiatek shot to stardom almost overnight. She started the 2020 Roland Garros tournament as an unseeded teenager ranked 54 in the world and finished it as Poland’s first ever Grand Slam singles champion. The rest, as they say, is history, as Swiatek penned more chapters to her storied career – from winning more majors, […]
Sabalenka bares her teeth in the Caja Magica
Aryna Sabalenka battled for two hours to fend off a feisty Robin Montgomery under the lights of the Manolo Santana Stadium (6-1, 6-7[5], 6-4) and seal her ticket to the last sixteen of the Mutua Madrid Open. “She played an unbelievable tennis, fighting for every point and giving all as a young player with nothing […]
