WTA Madrid Open Day Four Round-Up | Rybakina and Zheng set up meeting after tough wins, Gauff dominates as Mboko falls early
WTAFriday, 24 April 2026 at 23:22
The Madrid Open second round brought contrasting routes into the third round, with Elena Rybakina forced to recover from a set down while Coco Gauff moved through with a cleaner second-set performance. Caty McNally also produced the day’s main upset, defeating Victoria Mboko in straight sets to earn her first career top-10 victory.
The results reshaped several sections of the draw, with Zheng Qinwen also overturning a poor start against Sofia Kenin and Karolína Plíšková removing Maria Sakkari. Alexandra Eala, meanwhile, exited heavily against Elise Mertens, as the Madrid Open field continued to narrow before the fourth round places come into view.
Pliskova removes Sakkari in tight second-set finish
Karolína Plíšková def. Maria Sakkari 6-4, 7-6
Karolína Plíšková reached the Madrid Open third round for the first time since her 2018 semi-final run, beating Maria Sakkari in straight sets. The Czech took the opener with one break, using her first-strike tennis to keep Sakkari from settling into longer baseline exchanges.
The second set became more balanced, with Sakkari staying closer behind serve and forcing Plíšková to win the match through scoreboard pressure rather than early separation. The key shift came in the tiebreak, where Plíšková created the cleaner match-winning chances and converted her second match point.
Plíšková’s efficiency on the key points shaped the result, with one break enough in the first set before she held her level through the second-set tiebreak. The win sends her into the third round and removes a seeded opponent from her section of the draw.
Zheng recovers from slow start against Kenin
Zheng Qinwen def. Sofia Kenin 1-6, 6-3, 6-3
Zheng Qinwen advanced after overturning a difficult opening set against Sofia Kenin, who raced through the first set while Zheng struggled to establish rhythm. Kenin moved ahead with a double-break advantage early, exposing Zheng’s slow start and forcing the Chinese player to reset from behind.
The match changed once Zheng improved her weight of shot and began taking more control of neutral rallies. After moving 3-1 ahead in the second set, she won eight of the final nine points in that set, turning the match from a recovery effort into a contest played increasingly on her terms.
The 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 scoreline reflected the scale of Zheng’s adjustment after a poor opening phase. Kenin’s recent form remained an issue, with the defeat extending a difficult run, while Zheng moved into the third round and kept alive a blockbuster meeting with Elena Rybakina.
Rybakina survives Ruse
Elena Rybakina def. Elena-Gabriela Ruse 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
Elena Rybakina reached the third round after recovering from a set down against Elena-Gabriela Ruse. Ruse made the stronger start, breaking Rybakina more than once in the opening set and closing it 6-4 after backing up her lead with a hold to love.
Rybakina’s response came through sharper returning and better depth off the first ball after serve. She moved into a double-break lead in the second set, but Ruse continued to pressure her service games and again led 3-1 in the decider before Rybakina worked back into the set.
The full scoreline showed how little margin Rybakina had: 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 after repeated pressure on her serve and multiple momentum shifts. She still found enough return pressure late to escape into the third round, where Zheng Qinwen is waiting in a high-value draw meeting.
Mertens cuts off Eala’s rhythm early
Elise Mertens def. Alexandra Eala 6-2, 6-1
Elise Mertens advanced with a direct 6-2, 6-1 win over Alexandra Eala, who never found a stable rhythm in the match. Mertens took the first set clearly, using her consistency from the baseline to prevent Eala from building points on her preferred terms.
The tactical separation widened in the second set, where Mertens kept the rallies structured and gave Eala few openings to change the direction of the match. Eala’s timing never fully settled, and Mertens was able to move through service and return games without allowing sustained resistance.
The scoreline underlined Mertens’ efficiency, with Eala limited to three games across the match. It was a clear third-round statement from Mertens, while Eala leaves Madrid with another reminder of the adjustment required against experienced opponents on clay. Next challenge for Eala will be next week in WTA 125 Catalonia Open.
Gauff cleans up serve issues to move through
Coco Gauff def. Léolia Jeanjean 6-3, 6-0
Coco Gauff reached the Madrid Open third round with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Léolia Jeanjean. The first set was less clean than the final score suggested, with both players struggling on serve and each landing only around half of their first serves during a break-heavy opening phase.
Gauff created the decisive gap by improving her return positioning and extending rallies until Jeanjean’s service games became increasingly exposed. After a 3-3 start, Gauff won three straight games to take the first set, then carried that momentum into a one-sided second set.
The match turned on Gauff’s return pressure: she broke four times in the opening set and added three consecutive breaks in the second. She also conceded just three points on serve in the final set, a key correction before the third round as she continues a heavy clay swing.
McNally claims first top-10 win as Mboko exits
Caty McNally def. Victoria Mboko 6-4, 6-1
Caty McNally produced the day’s clearest upset, defeating Victoria Mboko 6-4, 6-1 to earn her first career top-10 victory. McNally broke early in the opening set and protected that advantage, while Mboko spent much of the set playing under pressure on serve.
The match moved further toward McNally once she continued to return with depth and forced Mboko into repeated service-game stress. Mboko saved three break points early and remained close on the scoreboard, but McNally’s service holds gave her the platform to accelerate in the second set.
McNally saved her first break point of the match at 4-3 in the opener, then closed the first set with the early break still intact. The 6-1 second set confirmed the gap, sending McNally into a third-round meeting with Kateřina Siniaková and ending Mboko’s Madrid debut.
Pegula holds off Boulter to stay on course
Jessica Pegula def. Katie Boulter 6-4, 6-3
Jessica Pegula advanced to the Madrid Open third round with a straight-sets win over Katie Boulter. The American earned the first break at 3-2 in the opening set and protected that lead, conceding just four return points through the first eight games before closing the set on serve.
Boulter kept the match competitive by holding under pressure and generating break-point chances in the second set, but Pegula’s backhand exchanges gave her the more reliable pattern. After an early exchange of breaks, Pegula reclaimed the lead at 2-1 and forced Boulter to chase the scoreboard.
Pegula’s ability to save multiple break points in the second set prevented Boulter from changing the match dynamic. The 6-4, 6-3 win sends Pegula into the third round, strengthening the seeded presence in her section of the Madrid Open draw.
Lucas MichaelTennis Journalist
Lucas Michael is a sports journalist based in Cambridge, UK. He writes for DartsNews and TennisUpToDate, where he covers professional tennis and darts through reports, analysis, round-ups, and liveblogs.
A key part of his work is live coverage of tennis, including the Grand Slams and major ATP and WTA tournaments on tour. He delivers real-time updates alongside match reports and tournament summaries, with a focus on clear analysis and accurate context around results, form, and wider tour developments.
Lucas holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism. In his work, he places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating content promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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