Story perspectives

Rybakina Notches 100th WTA-1000 Win, Faces Zheng

4/25/2026

Summary

Rybakina 100th Win

Elena Rybakina earned her 100th WTA 1000 match win at the Madrid Open, defeating Elena-Gabriela Ruse 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.
The victory resulted in a five-match streak, a season record of 26-5, and her only tour losses since March coming from Aryna Sabalenka.
Rybakina, who leads Qinwen Zheng 3-1, will meet Zheng in the third round after Zheng beat Sofia Kenin 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 for her clay win of 2026.

Summary

Sinner Returns

Jannik Sinner returns to the Madrid Open as No. 1 after a 90-day suspension, chasing his first title with a 22-match Masters 1000 streak.
Carlos Alcaraz misses the tournament with a wrist injury, while champion Casper Ruud opens his campaign Saturday hoping to repeat 2023.
Spanish wildcard Rafael Jodar, a 19-year-old recent Marrakech champion, nears a Roland Garros seed as Joao Fonseca competes despite a chronic back problem in the ATP/WTA 1000 clay event.

History

Historical Context

The ATP Masters Series, created in 1990, became the tour’s premier tier of nine events. In 2009 the Madrid Open switched from hard courts to clay, replacing the Hamburg Masters, and Novak Djokovic captured his first Madrid Masters title, ending Rafael Nadal’s early-season clay dominance. The victory marked the tournament’s inaugural clay edition and a shift in the sport’s power balance.

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Rybakina 100th Win

Elena Rybakina earned her 100th WTA 1000 match win at the Madrid Open, defeating Elena-Gabriela Ruse 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.
The victory resulted in a five-match streak, a season record of 26-5, and her only tour losses since March coming from Aryna Sabalenka.
Rybakina, who leads Qinwen Zheng 3-1, will meet Zheng in the third round after Zheng beat Sofia Kenin 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 for her clay win of 2026.

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