The Madrid Open continued on the 30th of April with all Round of 16 clashes. It opened in the Manolo Santana court with Daniil Medvedev taking on the Kazakhstani Alexander Bublik and closed with Rafael Nadal’s clash with Jiri Lehecka.
The tournament has been played at the Caja Mágica in Manzanares Park, San Fermín, in the last 22 years since it was founded in 2002, except when it was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has seen only three players win the title three or more times: Rafael Nadal (5), Novak Djokovic (3), and Roger Federer (3).
In 2023, Carlos Alcaraz was the first person to successfully defend his Madrid Open title since Rafael Nadal did so in 2014.
Czech Ends Nadal’s Love Affair With Madrid Open
Thank you, RAFA!
?? @rafaelnadal said farewell on Tuesday in round four of the #MMOPEN in his last appearance in the Caja Mágica.
It was a pleasure to watch you play one last time! ? pic.twitter.com/fQqsnCc9gB
— #MMOPEN (@MutuaMadridOpen) April 30, 2024
Moments ago, Rafael Nadal’s run of wins in the Madrid Open was halted by 22-year-old Czech tennis player Jiri Lehecka in the Round of 16.
His 5-7, 4-6 loss to Jiri Lehecka means the 37-year-old King of Clay has played his last match of the Madrid Open. The Madrid crowd gave the Spanish tennis legend a befitting standing ovation.
Rafael Nadal holds the record for the most finals competed in the Madrid Open (8), most consecutive finals (3), and most titles (5).
Alcaraz Keeps Hopes of Three-Peat Alive
After 31 minutes, Carlos Alcaraz broke Jan-Lennard Struff’s serve in the 6th game of the set to record the first service break. By the 45-minute mark, he had rounded up the set 6-3.
The second set started with a quick break of Struff’s serve again, but Struff hit Alcaraz back almost immediately to get back on serve and drag the game to a tie-break, which he won to force a deciding set.
A break in the fourth game was not enough for Alcaraz to see out the match as Struff clawed back again in the 9th game to force another tie-break. Winning the tie-break means Alcaraz’s run of wins in the Madrid Open has stretched to 14 games.
Top Seeds Bow Out Of Madrid Open
Seven top 10 seeded players played for a spot in the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open on the 30th of April. Daniil Medvedev won a tough clash with Alexander Bublik in two sets with a 7-6, 6-4 win. Andrey Rublev had a fairly routine 6-2, 6-4 win over Tallon Griekspoor. Carlos Alcaraz needed three sets to get through to the quarterfinals, with Jannik Sinner defeating Karen Khachanov 5-7, 6-3, 6-3.
The other top 10 seeded players didn’t fare so well. Casper Ruud lost to Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime 4-6, 5-7 in straight sets, Alexander Zverev got dominated 3-6, 4-6 by Argentine Francisco Cerundolo, and Hubert Hurkacz lost a tightly fought 6-7, 4-6 match to Taylor Fritz.
On Wednesday, May 1st, Andrey Rublev will try to stop Carlos Alcaraz’s three-peat charge in the Madrid Open quarterfinals. Taylor Fritz will also take on Francisco Cerundolo. The next day, world number 2 Jannik Sinner will take on Canadian number 1 Felix Auger-Aliassime, with Daniil Medvedev taking on Jiri Lehecka.
Also Read: Huge Day 8 Madrid Open Clashes Include Legend’s 3-Hour Duel
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