MADRID: World number one&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/sabalenka-into-third-straight-brisbane-final-ahead-of-australian-open" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Aryna Sabalenka</a>&nbsp;overcame Naomi Osaka 6-7 (1/7), 6-3, 6-2 in a gripping battle on Monday to reach the Madrid Open quarter-finals. Sabalenka, who has claimed titles at Miami, Indian Wells and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/sabalenka-into-third-straight-brisbane-final-ahead-of-australian-open" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Brisbane</a>&nbsp;this year, was tested by her Japanese opponent in the fourth-round clash but came back from a set and a break down to triumph. &quot;I was just trying to take one ball at a time and my team was there for me, they really (pushed) me to keep fighting, and I&#39;m really happy that I didn&#39;t give up and I was pushing until the very last point,&quot; said Sabalenka. The first set between the two four-time Grand Slam winners was tight, with only one break point forced, by Sabalenka, which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/naomi-osaka-rallies-to-beat-leylah-fernandez-at-wuhan-open" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Osaka</a>&nbsp;saved to hold for 2-1. Osaka dominated in the tie-break, ripping into a 5-0 lead and then triumphing when Sabalenka lashed a return wide. Sabalenka stepped up a gear in the second frame, although world number 15 Osaka dug deep to survive three break points and then managed to engineer a break for herself to take a 2-1 lead. However, the Belarusian immediately broke to love and then again in the eighth game, serving out to take the second set. Only&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/rybakina-wins-ningbo-title-to-close-in-on-wta-finals" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Elena Rybakina</a>&nbsp;has beaten Sabalenka this year, in the Australian Open final, and the 27-year-old dominated in the third set, securing breaks in the fifth and seventh games while Osaka could not put pressure on her opponent&#39;s serve. Sabalenka sealed her victory serving to love with an ace to reach the last eight, where she will face American Hailey Baptiste. &quot;She&#39;s an incredible player, we had a really tight match in Miami, and especially here in Madrid I think this surface suits her game,&quot; added Sabalenka. Later, Rybakina and Coco Gauff are in action against Anastasia Potapova and Linda Noskova respectively, while in the men&#39;s draw second seed Alexander Zverev faces Frenchman Terence Atmane in the third round. Casper Ruud eased to a 6-3, 6-1 win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to reach the last 16, while Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated Daniel Merida 6-4, 6-2.

Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka returns the ball to Japan’s Naomi Osaka during their 2026 WTA Tour Madrid Open tennis tournament women's singles match at the Caja Magica in Madrid, on April 27, 2026. (AFP)

Tennis

The Belarusian rallied from a set down to defeat her Japanese opponent in three sets, reaching the Madrid Open quarterfinals after a hard-fought fourth-round clash on Monday.

Aryna Sabalenka downs Naomi Osaka to reach Madrid Open quarter-finals

MADRID: Jannik Sinner took a first step towards a potential record fifth consecutive Masters 1000 title with a 6-7 (6/8), 6-1, 6-4 victory over Benjamin Bonzi in the Madrid Open second round on Friday. The Italian world number one is looking to beat the record of four consecutive triumphs held by all-time greats Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal this week in the Spanish capital. Sinner dropped only one set on the way to trophies in Paris, Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo, but Bonzi battled brilliantly to claim the first at the Manolo Santana stadium. The Frenchman survived five break points to reach a tie-break, where he also saved set point before edging ahead. However Sinner stepped up a gear in the second set, securing breaks in the fourth and sixth games, and another in the third on his way to the third round. &quot;It was a tough match, I had some chances early on and I couldn&#39;t use them, but this is tennis,&quot; said four-time Grand Slam winner Sinner. &quot;It&#39;s not bad to start the tournament like this, two and a half hours on court, it gives me good feedback where we need to improve for the next round. &quot;Of course, we need to improve, but I&#39;m also happy, when you&#39;re not playing your best tennis and win, it&#39;s still a good result.&quot; With Sinner&#39;s biggest rival Carlos Alcaraz injured and unable to compete either this week or in the upcoming French Open, the Italian is overwhelming favourite for every competition he enters in the weeks ahead. Earlier, Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic sent world number six Ben Shelton crashing out with a 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/5) victory. Promising 20-year-old Prizmic, ranked 87th, secured his first ever win over a top-10 player in a three-hour battle in the Spanish capital. American Shelton triumphed at the Munich Open on Sunday on clay but was unable to force a single break point on Prizmic&#39;s serve. Shelton&#39;s compatriot Tommy Paul also suffered a surprise early exit, falling 7-5, 6-4 against Argentine Thiago Tirante. Spaniard Rafael Jodar, 19, who impressed with a run to the Barcelona Open semi-finals last week, dumped out world number eight Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-1. &quot;Everything went very well,&quot; said Jodar. &quot;De Minaur is a very tough opponent, and I knew what I had to do from the very beginning.&quot; &#39;I basically survived&#39;&nbsp;Women&#39;s number two Elena Rybakina scraped into the Madrid Open third round with a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over Gabriela Ruse. Kazakhstan&#39;s Rybakina, who won the Australian Open in January and triumphed at Stuttgart last week, struggled in the first set, making 24 unforced errors to just eight winners. After claiming a topsy-turvy second set, she came back from a break down in the third and sealed the victory on her third match point. Rybakina will meet Zheng Qinwen, who produced a similarly battling performance to overcome Sofia Kenin, in the third round. &quot;Today, I basically survived,&quot; said Rybakina after her hard-fought victory. &quot;It wasn&#39;t the greatest performance but Gabriela, she played very well. She was playing very deep and aggressive, so it was very difficult. &quot;My serve was not really helping me today... but I&#39;m really happy that I managed to win, and I hope I can bring better tennis next round.&quot; Last year&#39;s runner-up and the third seed Coco Gauff made light work of Leolia Jeanjean with a 6-3, 6-0 victory at the Arantxa Sanchez stadium. Gauff will take on Romanian Sorana Cirstea in the third round after defeating Tyra Caterina Grant in straight sets. Fifth seed Jessica Pegula defeated Briton Katie Boulter 6-4, 6-4 in the late match on the main court to close out the day&#39;s action.

Italy's Jannik Sinner returns a ball to France's Benjamin Bonzi during their 2026 ATP Tour Madrid Open tennis tournament second round singles match at the Caja Magica in Madrid, on April 24, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

The Italian world number one is looking to beat the record of four consecutive triumphs held by all-time greats Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal this week in the Spanish capital.

Articles tagged with "Madrid Open"

Aryna Sabalenka downs Naomi Osaka to reach Madrid Open quarter-finals

Sinner overcomes Bonzi in record hunt at Madrid Open