(Photo credit score: Mike Frey-Imagn Images)
Top-seeded Aryna Sabaleka improved to 25-1 in 2026 and moved into the fourth spherical of the Madrid Open on Saturday with a routine 6-1, 6-4 victory over Twenty ninth-seeded Jaqueline Cristian of Romania.
Sabalenka has moved seamlessly onto the clay after a dominant early exhausting courtroom season. The Belarussian captured the ‘Sunshine Double’ in March, successful back-to-back titles in Indian Wells and Miami. Her lone loss occurred within the finals of the Australian Open, the place she fell to Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina.
Cristian did have 4 break level probabilities to go forward 4-2 within the second set, however Sabalenka wiped all of them away, then broke her opponent and 4-4 and can now face Japan’s Naomi Osaka within the subsequent spherical.
Osaka cruised previous Anhelina Kalinina, 6-1, 6-3. She always put stress on the Ukrainian’s service, successful almost 50% whereas receiving and breaking six instances.
The two WTA Tour veterans have solely met twice, splitting their encounters, with Sabalenka prevailing, 6-2, 6-4 in the identical spherical at Indian Wells.
No. 31 Ann Li recorded the largest upset of the day, defeating fourth-seeded Iga Swiatek of Poland, however not in method both participant was completely glad with. Li led, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 3-0 when Swiatek needed to retire on account of sickness.
‘Defintely knew it was going to be a troublesome match, I’m tremendous sorry for her that she’s needed to pull out, it is by no means simple to go like that,’ mentioned Li. ‘I used to be simply tremendous happy with the way in which that I fought and I pushed via.’
Ninth-seeded Mirra Andreeva of Russia superior with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Hungary’s Dalma Galfi. Like Osaka, Andreeva feasted on her opponent’s serve, successful 42 of 75 (56.0%) of her returns.
Andreeva improved to 9-1 on the clay in 2026.
‘Clay is such a particular floor,’ mentioned Andeeva. ‘You actually have to regulate your recreation.’
In different third-round matches, No. 30 Hayley Baptiste upset eighth-seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini, 7-5, 6-3; Switzerland’s No. 11 Belinda Benic edged Russia’s No. 18 Diana Shnaider, 6-2, 7-6 (6); Hungary’s Anna Bondar eradicated Czechia’s Laura Samson, 7-6 (3), 6-1 and Canada’s No. 24 Leylah Fernandez obtained publish Fifteenth-seeded Iva Jovic, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in a match that lasted two hours, eight minutes.
Fernandez broke Jovic 3 times within the closing set to advance to the fourth spherical, the place she’s going to face Li.
–Field Level Media