MADRID: World number two Alexander Zverev was taken to the limit by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in a gripping Madrid Open third round battle on Sunday, progressing 2-6, 7-6(7), 7-6(7).

The Spaniard, roared on by the partisan home crowd, broke in the first and third games to claim the first set with ease.

Zverev fought to get back on serve after falling a break behind at the start of the third, and saved two break points in the ninth game which would have left Davidovich Fokina serving for the match.

The German won the tie break and was str­o­nger in the third set, breaking for a 5-4 lead.

However serving for the match, Zverev was broken to love by the in-form Davidovich Fokina, ranked 29th, but it was his last hurrah as the top seed dominated the second tie-break.

Earlier Andrey Rublev’s Madrid Open title defence hit the rocks in a defeat by Alexander Bublik.

Bublik beat Rublev 6-4, 0-6, 6-4 for his 10th win over a top 10 player, although the Russian is set to sink to 17th after his surprise exit in the Spanish capital.

Kazakh Bublik, ranked 75th, secured a break in the first game of the deciding set and held on to his advantage.

Third seed Taylor Fritz qualified after opponent Benjamin Bonzi retired with a back injury, tied at a set each.

The French player, ranked 62nd, was playing well and claimed the first set 6-4 before Fritz took his fifth set point to secure the only break of the second 7-5.

Meanwhile Russia’s Daniil Medvedev also surged ahead with a comfortable 6-2, 6-2 win over Juan Manuel Cerundolo

In the women’s draw last year’s defeated finalist Aryna Sabalenka fought back to beat Elise Mertens and reach the last 16.

Women’s world number one Sabalenka progressed 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 against Belgian Mertens, ranked 26th.

“It was one of those days I didn’t feel my best I got super emotional in the beginning of the first set, with myself in a tough situation,” the Belarusian told TVE.

She will face American Peyton Stearns, who thumped Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 6-0, in the fourth round.

Sabalenka lost a gripping final against Iga Swiatek in Madrid last year, and the Pole also eased into the last 16 on Saturday, offering hope of a repeat.

There were surprise eliminations for world number three Jessica Pegula and Jasmine Paolini.

Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima, ranked 56th, earned the biggest win of her career with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over the American, breaking her serve on five occasions.

Italian world number six Paolini was defea­ted in straight sets by Maria Sakkari, 6-2, 6-1.

The Greek, ranked 82nd, secured her first top 10 win in over a year with a confident display as she surges back into form, leaving Paolini to recompose herself ahead of the Italian Open.

No. 24 seed Marta Kostyuk defeated Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova 6-0, 6-4, 6-4 for the first time in three meetings to reach the fourth round, recovering after losing a 3-1 second-set lead.

In Saturday’s late match, Croatia’s Donna Vekic registered a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over 11th seed Emma Navarro of the United States.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2025