Rublev upset by Bublik, Sabalenka advances in Madrid Open

At the Madrid Open, Alexander Zverev narrowly advanced to the last 16 after surviving a tough three-set battle against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, while defending men's champion Andrey Rublev was eliminated by Alexander Bublik in another three-set contest. In the women's draw, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka came from behind to defeat Elise Mertens, securing her place in the last 16 and keeping alive her hopes for a third consecutive final appearance in Madrid. Sabalenka acknowledged her emotional struggles early in the match but expressed satisfaction with her strong finish. Bublik's victory over Rublev marked his 10th career win against a top-10 player, and he will next face either Ben Shelton or Jakub Mensik. The tournament has already seen several upsets, with Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz both out of contention, adding unpredictability to the competition.