ATP / WTA: Djokovic faces ‘new reality’ in Madrid, Sabalenka and Swiatek on collision course

Djokovic facing ‘new reality’

Back-to-back opening round exits for Novak Djokovic in Monte Carlo and Madrid have left the 24-time Grand Slam champion wondering if his days in the sport are numbered.

Following his loss to Italian Matteo Arnaldi, Djokovic was asked if this may have been the last time he competed at the Madrid Open.

“It could be. It could be. I'm not sure if I will come back. I hope it's not, but it could be,” confessed the Serb.

After years and years of dominance, the 37-year-old Djokovic finds himself in unfamiliar territory, approaching tournaments with modest goals rather than expecting to win them.

“(My expectations were) Not big at all, to be honest. I was hoping I can play one more match than I played in Monte Carlo. Kind of new reality for me, I have to say, trying to win a match or two, not really thinking about getting far in the tournament,” reflected Djokovic.

“It's a completely different feeling from what I had in 20+ years of professional tennis, so it's kind of a challenge for me mentally to really face these kind of sensations on the court, going out early now regularly in the tournaments. But that's, I guess, the circle of life and the career, eventually it was going to happen.”

Djokovic said he doesn’t consider himself one of the favourites for the title at Roland-Garros – a tournament he has won on three occasions – but hopes that can alleviate some of the pressure off of him heading to Paris.

“Things are different, obviously, with my strokes, with my body, with my movement, it's the reality that I have to accept. I'll try to make the most out of these new circumstances that I have, particularly on Grand Slams, where it counts the most for me, at least where I would like to do my best,” he added.

“I'm not going into Roland Garros as one of the main favourites. Maybe that can help, I don't know, we'll see.”

Gauff out to spoil Andreeva’s birthday

Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva were the only two players to escape the power outage and got through their respective fourth-round clashes to set up a highly-anticipated quarter-final.

Gauff is 2-0 against Andreeva, with both previous meetings coming in 2023, at Roland-Garros and the US Open.

Andreeva is a different beast right now, though, compared to two years ago. She picked up back-to-back WTA 1000 titles in Dubai and Indian Wells earlier this season and is up to No.7 in the world rankings.

The talented teen turns 18 on Tuesday, and will be hoping to celebrate her birthday by reaching the Madrid semi-finals for the first time in her young career.

“It’s super special; last year I was also here in the quarter-finals and this year I’m going to try to advance further,” said Andreeva, who defeated Ukrainian qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-1, 6-4 in the round of 16.

“I’m used to playing on my birthday here, it’s going to be my third year playing on this day. Nothing is going to change tennis-wise, I’m just going to go on court and focus on tennis.

“But as soon as the match is finished, I’m just going to try and take some time for us, for me and my dad, because our birthdays are on the same day, so we’ll try to go somewhere and celebrate a little.”

Meanwhile, fourth-seeded Gauff made it past the fourth round for the first time in Madrid with a 6-4, 6-2 result against Belinda Bencic on Monday.

“I think today was definitely a step in the right direction. I felt pretty good out there on the court. I felt like I was serving well. I felt like that is what won me the match. I think every day is getting better,” said Gauff, who squeezed past Dayana Yastremska in her opener before easing past Ann Li and Bencic in her last two rounds.

Looking ahead to her clash with Andreeva, Gauff said: “She’s doing great obviously. I think her run kind of first started here and then obviously she’s done well this year, and every year. She’s improving a lot and it’s going to be a fun, tough match tomorrow.”

Sabalenka, Swiatek stay the course

They’ve squared off in the last two Madrid Open finals and could make it a three-peat if things at the Caja Magica adhere to seedings. 

World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka was tested by her former doubles partner Elise Mertens in the third round, dropping a set before advancing, while second-seeded defending champion Iga Swiatek escaped defeat in her opener against her Miami conqueror Alex Eala before claiming a convincing victory over Linda Noskova to reach the last 16. 

“I'm happy with my focus and with the way I kept problem-solving until the end of the match,” said Swiatek.

Zverev gunning for a hattrick

Two-time Madrid champion Alexander Zverev had to play a perfect final-set tiebreak to make it past home favourite Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and book a fourth round against Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo. 

The German top seed is living up to his favourite status, in the absence of Carlos Alcaraz, who withdrew ahead of the tournament citing a right hamstring issue and a right adductor injury. 

Holger Rune, who defeated Alcaraz in last week’s Barcelona final, retired from his Madrid opener due to a right knee problem.

High hopes for Medvedev

Looking to end a two-year title drought, Daniil Medvedev is feeling optimistic about his clay-court season. 

The former world No.1 was never a big fan of the red dirt but a title run in Rome in 2023 reset his relationship with the clay. 

The 29-year-old is down to No.10 in the world following a subpar 2025 so far – by his own standards – but two good wins in Monte Carlo earlier this month and an opening victory over Juan Manuel Cerundolo to reach the Madrid last-16 have given Medvedev enough of a reason to aim big this clay campaign. 

“I'm feeling better and better on clay. So the mindset is to try to really do something big,” said Medvedev on Sunday. 

“I won Rome, so now I'm much more confident in myself. I had some top wins. 

“No real goals in terms of points or something, but I want to try to play my best tennis, and I know that now on clay I can play almost kind of the same as on hard courts.”

With two more wins this week, Medvedev would complete a full set of reaching at least the semi-finals of all nine ATP Masters 1000 events.

Surprise package

Making her Madrid Open debut, the 23-year-old Moyuka Uchijima defeated Robin Montgomery in the first round before knocking out 2022 finalists, Ons Jabeur and Jessica Pegula to storm into the last-16 stage at a WTA 1000 tournament for the first time. 

The Japanese world No.56 notched the first top-10 victory over her career against Pegula in the third round, after entering the match with a 0-6 record against such opposition. 

“I'm just really, really happy. It's my first Masters 1000 round of 16, and I still cannot believe it, I'm in a dream kind of,” said the Kuala Lumpur-born Uchijima.

“I know Jessica is a really, really great player, so I was just really happy to share a court with her, but to get a win is something really, really special for me.”