Sinner Advances in Madrid Open as Upsets Shake Draw and Rybakina Survives Scare

Posted : 25 April 2026

World number one Jannik Sinner began his quest for a historic fifth straight Masters 1000 title with a hard-fought victory over Benjamin Bonzi at the Madrid Open. The Italian dropped the opening set in a tense tie-break but responded strongly to claim a 6-7, 6-1, 6-4 win and move into the third round. Sinner is aiming to surpass the record of four consecutive Masters 1000 titles jointly held by Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

Bonzi delivered a determined performance, saving multiple break points and edging the first set after a closely contested tie-break. However, Sinner raised his level in the following sets, dominating with improved consistency and securing key breaks to take control of the match. Reflecting on the encounter, Sinner admitted it was a challenging start but expressed satisfaction in winning despite not playing his best tennis.

With Carlos Alcaraz sidelined through injury, Sinner enters the tournament as the clear favorite, further strengthening his chances of extending his dominant run in the lead-up to the French Open.

Elsewhere in the men’s draw, Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic produced a major upset by defeating world number six Ben Shelton in a marathon three-set contest. The 20-year-old secured his first victory over a top-10 opponent, showcasing composure in a match that lasted over three hours. Shelton, fresh off a title win in Munich, struggled to make an impact on return throughout the encounter.

Another surprise saw Tommy Paul eliminated by Argentina’s Thiago Tirante in straight sets. Meanwhile, Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar continued his impressive rise by defeating world number eight Alex de Minaur in convincing fashion, underlining his growing reputation after a strong showing in Barcelona.

In the women’s competition, second seed Elena Rybakina battled back from a set down to defeat Gabriela Ruse in a three-set thriller. Despite struggling with unforced errors early on, Rybakina showed resilience, recovering from a deficit in the final set to seal victory. She later acknowledged the difficulty of the match, crediting her opponent’s aggressive play while admitting her own performance was below par.

Rybakina will next face Zheng Qinwen, who also had to dig deep to overcome Sofia Kenin in a hard-fought encounter.

Third seed Coco Gauff delivered a dominant performance, comfortably defeating Leolia Jeanjean in straight sets. She now prepares to meet Sorana Cirstea in the next round.

Fifth seed Jessica Pegula rounded off the day’s action with a straight-sets victory over Britain’s Katie Boulter, ensuring her place in the third round and maintaining her strong form in the tournament.

Sinner Advances in Madrid Open as Upsets Shake Draw and Rybakina Survives Scare

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