In the last match of the day the No. 5 in the world comfortably seals a 64 75  win and reaches the round of 16 in the Mutua Madrid Open for his seventh time

The Madrid nocturne was poised for entertaining drama when Alexander Zverev and Denis Shapovalov stepped on court at 11 pm. The German looking to emulate his past glorious runs in Madrid, where his name is engraved in the history book as a two-time winner.

And Shapovalov, in his strenuous attempt to retrieve his pre-injury tennis and ranking standards. Let’s not forget he was a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2021 and a top 10. And let’s not forget aesthetics, the 25-year-old being one of those players endowed with a unique, inimitably stylish leftie game.

Yet the match fell somewhat short of expectations. Too many unforced errors oozing from the Canadian, who was perpetually struggling to hold serve and just as perpetually was unable to pose a threat to Zverev’s, but for a little help in the final stages.

Yes, there were applause-ripping points, plenty enough for editing pleasing highlights, but the match was a lop-sided one, far more than is told by the score.

 Shapovalov was already struggling to hold serve in the third game, when he faced two break points.              

In game 5 two double faults resulted in two further break points. However, Shapovalov, mixing up power and delicacy, alias first services and dropshots. managed to emerge from trouble.

To sum up, the first 6 games had gone with serve, though Zverev had denied access, whereas Shapovalov had  had to save four break points.

Zverev earned three break points in the seventh, after scything an extraordinary backhand volley on the stretch. And this time Shapovalov did not succeed in bouncing back.

A higher first serve percentage – 72%, including 7 aces – and more effective returning granted Zverev the first set.  As well as a predominance in the scarce longer rallies.

Often does the wind change direction at the start of a second set, but Shapovalov insisted on overly indulging in dropshots, resulting in predictability, and lost his service in the first game.

When he faced a break point in the fifth game, after leading 40 15, it seemed as if he was about to throw in the towel. Instead he threw in a backhand passing shot, nimbly flicked with his wrist, and held on.

Back on serve – just a few minutes later, so rapidly did Zverev’s service games whizz past – he saved 5 more break  points with flashes of talent, forays to the net, winning forehands  from all positions.

The match seemed to be edging towards the closing credits, when Zverev was serving for the match at 54.  But never write off panache in tennis. After an overall erratic performance, Shapovalov netted a forehand passing shot, which would have earned him a break point and an assumedly last chance. In turn Zverev netted a match point, suddenly tightened up and ended up dropping his serve, when Shapovalov won a humanly inexplicable rollercoaster point ultimately scooping up a ball from under the net and steering it past his opponent.  

Could the plot take a different twist?

Shapovalov, who had seemed fired up after grabbing the break, abruptly deflated and disappointed expectations by losing his service to love.

Serving a second time for the match, Zverev faltered once more and faced his second break point in the match, which would have meant tie break and a leap into the unknown.

His most formidable weapon, his serve, picked up again and just in time. Three thundering first serves ushered him into the round of 16, where he will be facing Francisco Cerundolo, a resilient winner of Tommy Paul in three sets.

Andrey Rublev says two decisions made by the umpire during his third round match at the Madrid Open were ‘wrong’ with the points going against him.

The world No.8 clashed with official Adel Nour during his 7-6(10), 6-3, win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. It began seven games into the match when a shot from the Spaniard was called out which prompted him to immediately challenge. Then after some confusion, the umpire stated that the shot was in but decided to award the point to Fokina instead of replaying it. A decision that prompted an angry response from Rublev who demanded a replay but officials were unable to do so.

In the second set, a similar situation occurred when a Rublev return was initially called out before the umpire ruled it in. However, the official decided to issue a replay instead of giving the Russian the point. 

“I mean I felt it was wrong because in the first set was exactly the same situation and I told the referee, I agree that yes I couldn’t make it, I hit it out,” The Express quoted Rublev as saying afterwards.
“But the referee called out earlier than I hit [it]. And then second set, the same situation but the referee called it also later than Alejandro hit and the referee told me no, but he was in the position that he could make it. And I say yes but he was trying to make it and he missed it and then it was out.”
“Exactly the same two situations and both of them in my situation, he gave the point to Alejandro and in Alejandro’s situation, we replayed the point.”

Controversy aside, Rublev has now won back-to-back matches in the Tour for the first time since February when he was disqualified from the Dubai Tennis Championships for unsportsmanlike conduct. After that incident, he launched a successful appeal to the ATP who ruled the penalty as ‘disproportionate’ and returned his rankings points and prize money. However, a fine of nearly $30,000 was upheld. 

Rublev currently has a win-loss record of 17-8 so far this season. In Madrid, he will play Tallon Griekspoor in the fourth round. 

Juan Martin Del Potro has spoken about the future of tennis as well as Rafael Nadal’s pending retirement.

The Argentinian retired in 2022 when he played his last match against Federico Delbonis in Buenos Aires with Del Potro struggling with a knee injury during his last tournaments.

Del Potro spoke about competing against ‘the big four,’ expectations while playing on the tour and having no regrets over his last match, “Having won a Grand Slam in the best of the big three has special value,” Del Potro told Punto De Break.

“Now that speaks of the big three but between us we always talked about the fantastic four because Andy Murray has always been the closes to the best in all of history. Any victory against them was of impressive value.

“Having won a Grand Slam may sound little, but it’s not. Playing quarters and semis against the best gives me the peace of mind that, despite not having achieved big tournaments, I always fought them and that’s enough for me.”

Having experienced big success in the sport, Del Potro knows how tough it is physically to stay at the top.

Also the Argentinian knows how hard it is to retire on your own terms and that’s a dilemma that Rafael Nadal faces as the Spaniard is set to end his illustrious career this season.

Del Potro discussed Nadal’s impending retirement as well as some of the memories he had on the court against the Spaniard, “I think we have to start assimilating that a tennis stage is going to end. Roger is no longer there, but his legacy was very marked forever. And now Nadal is giving himself the pleasure of retiring in his own way and under his own conditions,” Del Potro stated.

“And it’s something that unfortunately I couldn’t do for my health. Rafa’s thing is impressive. Seeing him play and seeing that passion for competing and that energy he has is something unique and I don’t know if there will be something similar in the coming years.

“I hope I’ll cross it now and say hello and I’ll keep watching it on TV. I’m not watching much tennis, but if Rafa or Novak plays, of course I look at it.

“Rio’s match was emotionally very strong and spectacular, as an Argentine in Brazil and against Rafa. Another game I remember was the semifinals of the 2009 Us Open, but there is one that I lost against Nadal who was at Wimbledon 2018. I lost that game, but at the end we gave each other a hug. It was super emotional and when I see images of that game and that moment I don’t care about having lost because that moment is already winning.

“The result doesn’t matter, but that hug, the emotion, the fans. It was an unforgettable day and those were the great memories I have with Rafa.”

Finally Del Potro reflected on the future of tennis with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner expected to have a fierce rivalry at the top of the game.

The former US Open champion compared it to rivalries of the past and is excited for what they can bring to tennis, “I love seeing Alcaraz because he has a freshness and a naturalness to walk on the track that looks like a 30-year-old guy who has been on the circuit for 10 and is super young,” Del Potro explained.

“It’s going to be very good for tennis, that face to face against Sinner. He is going to build a rivalry that tennis constantly had. First it was Agassi-Sampras, then Roger-Rafa, then Novak. And now it will be the two of them.”