Story perspectives

Zverev Advances, Blockx Upsets Aliassime, Rybakina Falls

4/28/2026

Summary

Zverev Advances

Alexander Zverev (No. 3) defeated Terence Atmane 6-3, 7-6(7/2) to reach the Madrid Open fourth round and will face the winner of Karen Khachanov vs Jakub Mensik.
A back problem that surfaced during the match may be questioned, with a healthy Zverev poised to meet Jannik Sinner in the final.
Alexander Blockx (rank 69) upset world No. 5 Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6(7/3), 6-3, while world No. 2 Elena Rybakina fell to 56th-ranked Anastasia Potapova 7-6(10/8), 6-4.

Summary

Tsitsipas Resurges

Stefanos Tsitsipas said enjoyment on court is fueling his resurgence after his fourth-round win.
He became the fourth player this decade to reach 100 clay victories.
Bookmakers list Tsitsipas as a 1.45-1.59 favorite, implying a 63 % chance of winning his next match.
Casper Ruud entered with 133 clay wins this decade, eight Madrid titles and a 4-1 clay record, an outsider for the French Open with Carlos Alcaraz absent.

History

Historical Context

In 2009 the Madrid Open switched from indoor hard courts to outdoor clay, and Rafael Nadal seized the inaugural clay edition, beating Roger Federer 6-4, 6-4 in the final. The win gave Nadal his first Madrid title and foreshadowed the dominance that would bring him 22 Grand Slam crowns, cementing his “King of Clay” legacy.

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Zverev Advances

Alexander Zverev (No. 3) defeated Terence Atmane 6-3, 7-6(7/2) to reach the Madrid Open fourth round and will face the winner of Karen Khachanov vs Jakub Mensik.
A back problem that surfaced during the match may be questioned, with a healthy Zverev poised to meet Jannik Sinner in the final.
Alexander Blockx (rank 69) upset world No. 5 Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6(7/3), 6-3, while world No. 2 Elena Rybakina fell to 56th-ranked Anastasia Potapova 7-6(10/8), 6-4.

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