Zverev, Sabalenka secure victories at Madrid Open

Top seeds Alexander Zverev and Aryna Sabalenka secured commanding victories in their opening matches at the Madrid Open, with Zverev defeating Roberto Bautista Agut and Sabalenka overcoming Anna Blinkova. Zverev, a former Madrid champion now ranked No. 2 globally after his recent Munich title, extended his winning streak to six matches and expressed his fondness for the Madrid center court. Sabalenka, winner in Madrid in 2021 and 2023 and last year’s runner-up, will next face Elise Mertens after converting three of seven break opportunities against Blinkova. On the women’s side, Jessica Pegula also advanced, while on the men’s side, Taylor Fritz made a strong return from injury by defeating Christopher O’Connell, and Casper Ruud moved past Arthur Rinderknech. Elsewhere, Juan Manuel Cerundolo and Daniil Medvedev advanced, while some players withdrew due to injury or illness. The tournament continues to see strong performances from top seeds and notable returns from injury.