Rybakina back from the brink to reach semis
If you look up the word ‘clutch’ in the dictionary, you’ll probably find Elena Rybakina’s name right next to it. Since losing to Anna Blinkova at the Australian Open in January, Rybakina has not lost a deciding set on tour, winning all 12 she has contested, including a wild one against Yulia Putintseva on Wednesday […]
«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, […]
Nadal prepares to go another round in the Manolo Santana Stadium
There’s no greater incentive than savouring every shot, every point and every celebration with the complicity of the Madrid fans as if it were the last. This is Rafael Nadal’s mindset at this year’s Mutua Madrid Open, which he has already regaled with two unexpected episodes. On Monday he will be hoping to carve out […]
Monteiro serves up a surprise to send Tsitsipas packing
Thiago Monteiro spent a good portion of his childhood being driven around by his older brother Faber for hours and hours, from one tournament to another across Brazil, trying to make it as a young tennis player. He was adopted as a newborn baby and his mother Fatima raised him and his siblings as a […]
Swiatek keeps her foot on the gas in Madrid
Saturday at the Caja Mágica saw Iga Swiatek lifted the curtain on an enticing weekend of tennis with a straightforward win over Sorana Cirstea (6-1, 6-1) under the retractable roof of the Manolo Santana Stadium. The world No. 1 only needed one hour and 18 minutes to take her strike rate in the Mutua Madrid […]
Rybakina passes opening test to book Sherif showdown
Elena Rybakina prefers to play on faster surfaces, but judging by her results so far this season, it’s obvious that irrespective of her locale, the odds of her making it to finals weekend are always pretty high. The world No.4 has reached at least the quarter-finals in seven of the eight tournaments she has contested […]
Alcaraz hits the ground running in Madrid
Champions have a unique ability to step fearlessly into unknown territory and Carlos Alcaraz has an opportunity to do just that in Madrid. On Friday, the Spaniard began his campaign in the Caja Mágica, where he is vying to become the first player to win three consecutive Mutua Madrid Open titles. At just 20 years […]
Sabalenka proves she can dig deep in Madrid
After serving up her tenth ace of the day to seal the deal, Aryna Sabalenka let out a cry to the skies of Madrid in celebration of her victorious opener. The defending champion had to shake off a dogged Magda Linette in a battle that lasted 2 hours and 9 minutes (6-4, 3-6, 6-3). Sabalenka’s […]
Swiatek and Gauff fly out of the blocks in the Caja Mágica
There were no shocks or upsets on Thursday for the favourites in the top half of the women’s draw at the Mutua Madrid Open. Iga Swiatek (1) and Coco Gauff (3) stamped their authority on the Manolo Santana Stadium against Xiyu Wang and Arantxa Rus, respectively. The Pole showed why she is the world No. […]
