By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, April 23, 2026
Picture credit score: BNP Paribas Open Fb
Former champions discovered their footing in quick begins on Madrid’s grime observe.
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka surged by means of 5 of the ultimate six video games heading off Peyton Stearns 7-5, 6-3 in her Mutua Madrid Open opener.
Launching her quest for a record-extending fourth Madrid championship, Sabalenka scored her thirteenth consecutive victory after sweeping WTA 1000 championships in Indian Wells and Miami.
“That was a loopy first spherical,” Sabalenka informed Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj. “I knew that it’s not going to be simple. I really feel this court docket fits her sport completely.
“The problem was to seek out the rhythm. With this altitude my physique was slightly bit off, however I’m simply going to work exhausting and hopefully within the subsequent spherical deliver some higher tennis.”
The 2024 Madrid champion Iga Swiatek swept Ukrainian qualifier Daria Snigur 6-1, 6-2 in in the present day’s first ladies’s match on Manolo Santana Stadium.
The fourth-seeded Swiatek, who misplaced to Mirra Andreeva in final week’s Stuttgart quarterfinals, has reached the Madrid ultimate in two of her final three appearances.
Working with new coach Francisco Roig, Rafa Nadal’s former coach, Swiatek is making an attempt to impose her heavy topspin forehand on opponents. Swiatek saved 5 of six break factors in a 61-minute victory to enhance to 14-7.
Wimbledon winner Swiatek will play both Thirty first-seeded American Ann Li or big-serving American qualifier Alycia Parks within the spherical of 32.
Hungarian Anna Bondar upset seventh-seeded Elina Svitolina 6-3, 6-4.
It was Bondar’s second straight win over Svitolina, following her 6-2, 6-4 victory on the US Open final August.
World No. 63 Bondar earned the primary Prime 10 win of her profession at Tour stage. Bondar is the primary Hungarian girl to defeat a Prime 10 participant since Timea Babos beat CoCo Vandeweghe on the 2018 Australian Open.
Enjoying her first clay-court match of the season, Sabalenka was examined in each units by Stearns, who misplaced to the Belarusian within the Madrid spherical of 16 final yr.
Sabalenka saved a break level with a biting physique serve on a second serve. The Belarusian drew a large backhand holding for 4-3 after 36 minutes.
Deadlocked at 5-all, Stearns went up Love-30 on Sabalenka’s serve within the eleventh sport. The highest seed tore by means of 4 factors in a row ending a hard-fought maintain with a forehand strike and drop shot winner for 6-5.
Ratcheting up the strain on the American with proactive positioning, Sabalenka was straddling the baseline able to obtain within the twelfth sport. Sabalenka tomahawked a heavy forehand return for double set level.
Pouncing on a brief second serve, Sabalenka pounded a forehand return winner to seal a one-seat lead with an announcement strike.
Mixing the spins and spots on her serve, Stearns smacked successive aces that helped her maintain in her opening sport of the second set. Dancing round her backhand, Stearns slid an inside-out forehand breaking for 2-1.
The forehand is usually a barometer of the Belarusian’s confidence. Sabalenka was feeling her forehand within the fourth sport rapping a diagonal forehand adopted by a crackling crosscourt return winner to interrupt again.
Controlling the middle of the court docket for a lot of the remainder of the set, Sabalenka charged by means of 5 of the final six video games to shut. Sabalenka smacked a forehand crosscourt, elevating her 2026 report to 24-1.
Subsequent up for Sabalenka is Twenty ninth-seeded Romanian Jaqueline Cristian.
“I simply wish to discover my sport and be in a greater rhythm,” Sabalenka stated of her title protection.
