MADRID — In an electrifying showdown, top seed Aryna Sabalenka overcame her former doubles partner, Elise Mertens, in a thrilling three-set match to secure her place in the last 16 of the Madrid Open this Sunday.
Meanwhile, defending men’s champion Andrey Rublev faced an unexpected exit, falling in three sets to Alexander Bublik.
Despite a shaky start against the 26th-seeded Mertens, Sabalenka regained her momentum to decisively finish the match on the iconic Caja Magica center court.
The two-time Madrid champion rallied to win 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, keeping her dreams of a third consecutive final alive. Sabalenka captured the title in the Spanish capital in both 2021 and 2023, and narrowly missed out last year, finishing as runner-up to Iga Swiatek.
“It was one of those days where I didn’t quite feel my best,” Sabalenka shared. “Getting emotional at the start put me in a challenging position. However, I’m thrilled with the level I showcased in the second and third sets, especially against someone like Elise. If you give her an inch, she’ll be right there applying pressure. It feels great to have turned the match around.”
This victory marked Sabalenka’s ninth straight win over Mertens, who was her partner during their triumphant campaigns at the 2019 U.S. Open and the 2021 Australian Open. Remarkably, Sabalenka had previously won 14 consecutive sets against the Belgian.
“Elise is such an incredible player; the score doesn’t define our matches. It’s always a fierce battle,” Sabalenka remarked.
Next up for Sabalenka is a clash with either Rebeka Masarova or Peyton Stearns.
As for Rublev, his title defense came to an abrupt end after a 6-4, 0-6, 6-4 defeat against Bublik.
This victory marked Bublik’s 10th win over a top-10 player, propelling him into the fourth round of the Madrid Open for the fourth time.
Rublev had a bye in the previous round due to Gael Monfils’s illness.
The eighth-ranked Rublev was a standout last year, defeating Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final in Madrid.
Bublik’s next opponent will be either Ben Shelton or Miami champion Jakub Mensik in the upcoming round of 16.
Additionally, Brandon Nakashima progressed past Flavio Cobolli, celebrating his advancement to the fourth round of a Master 1000 tournament for the fifth time. The 32nd-ranked American will next compete against either Daniil Medvedev or Juan Manuel Cerundolo.
