Anastasia Potapova beat Diana Schnaider 7-5 6-4 to reach the second round at the Madrid Mutua Open. 

Potapova earned an early break in the first game and held serve at love to take a 2-0 lead. Schnaider, who won a WTA Tour title in Hin Hin, saved a break point in the third game. Schnaider broke back in the 10^th game to draw level to 5-5. Potapova broke for the second time in the 11^th game and served out at 15 in the 12^thgame. 

Potapova converted her third break point in the first game of the second set. Schnaider broke back in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. Potapova saved five break points in the sixth game to hold serve before breaking in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead. Schnaider broke back in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4. Potapova broke for the third time in the ninth game and sealed the win on her first match point. 

Wang Xiyu came back from one set down to beat Ana Bogdan 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-4) 6-2. Wan Xiyu set up a second round match against Iga Swiatek. 

Wang Xiyu broke serve in the second game to open up a 3-0 lead. The Chinese converted her sixth break point in the sixth game to open up a 5-1 lead. Bogdan pulled both breaks back to draw level to 5-5. Wang Xiyu opened up a 5-2 lead. Bogdan won five consecutive points to seal the tie-break 7-5. Wang Xiyu broke serve at 15 in the first game and held serve at 15 to open up a 2-0 lead. Bogdan broke back in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. Wang Xiyu saved a match point in the 10^th game. Wang Xiyu went up a mini-break, but Bogdan pulled back on serve both times. Wang Xiyu won the final three points to seal the tie-break 7-4. 

Wang Xiyu went up a 4-0 lead with two breaks in the third game. Bogdan pulled one of the two breaks back in the sixth game. Wang Xiyu broke serve in the eighth game on her second match point.

Karolina Schmiedlova beat Sofia Kenin 6-3 6-4. Schmiedlova broke serve at love in the second game and held serve to 30 to open up a 3-0 lead. Schmiedlova served out the first set 6-3 after saving two break points in the ninth game. 

Schmiedlova broke serve at love in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. Kenin broke back in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2 lead. Schmiedlova broke at love in the eighth game before saving three break points to take a 5-3 lead. The Slovakian player served out the win on her first match point. 

Rafael Nadal has eased speculation that he might be retiring from the sport soon after signing on to play in the Laver Cup later this year. 

The 22-time Grand Slam champion is the latest player to join the line-up for this year’s team competition which features Europe taking on the rest of the world over three days. It will be Nadal’s fourth appearance in the competition and his first since 2022. He competed in the inaugural edition of the event back in 2017 alongside co-founder Roger Federer. 

“I am very happy to be playing Laver Cup in Berlin for Team Europe,” Nadal said in a press release. “I have some really special memories from my Laver Cup experiences, including all the emotions from London two years ago playing alongside Roger for the last time.”

Nadal’s decision to play comes amid questions about his future in the sport. The former world No.1 has previously indicated that this year could be his last on the Tour but he has stated that no decision has been made. In recent months he has been sidelined from action due to injury setbacks and has only been able to play in two tournaments so far this year. 

“At this stage in my career I really want to go out there and make the most of every opportunity I am given,” he explains.
“Teaming up is always an incredible experience and I have always enjoyed it, the competition is different and exciting. I’m looking forward to going to Berlin and helping Team Europe win back the Laver Cup.”

Other European players confirmed to be playing are Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev. Meanwhile, Alex de Minaur, Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul have agreed to play for Team World. This year’s event will be held in Belin at the Uber Arena between September 20-22. 

The Laver Cup was inspired by golf’s Ryder Cup. It was co-founded by Federer’s Team8 management company (which he formed with agent Tony Godsick), businessman Jorge Paulo Lemann and Tennis Australia. In 2019 it became an official ATP sanction event and now has a place on the official calendar. 

Nadal is set to return to competitive action at the Madrid Masters which he has won on five previous occasions. He has been drawn to play teenage wild card Darwin Blanch in the first round. If he wins, Nadal will then play Alex de Minaur who knocked him out of the Barcelona Open last week. 

Two-time defending champion Iga Swiatek held off 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 after 2 hours and 3 minutes to extend her winning streak to 10 consecutive matches at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. 

Swiatek set up a semifinal match against 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, who came back from a break down in the third set to beat this year’s Dubai champion Jasmine Paolini.

Raducanu came back from 0-40 down to earn the first break of the opening set. Swiatek converted her third break point in the second game in a seven-deuce second game. Raducanu saved the only other break point at deuce in the sixth game. Swiatek won the first four points and five of the first six points to win the tie-break 7-2. 

Swiatek earned five break points in the second, sixth and in the 12^thgame, but she converted only one opportunity. Raducanu converted her only break point in the first game. Swiatek won nine more points than Swiatek. 

Swiatek broke Raducanu in the second game to open up a 2-0 lead. This break was decisive, as both players held on their next serve in their next games. 

Swiatek earned six break points in the third, fifth and ninth games, but she converted one chance. The Pole did not face a single break point and won eight more points than Raducanu.

“Raducanu started playing at the beginning pretty loose, like she had nothing to lose, and I totally get that. Sometimes it is like that. I knew I was questioning if she is going to be able to keep the same intensity throughout the whole match. It was not about service games or return games. I was just waiting for my chances to break back and I was sure that I am going to get them”, said Swiatek.