This Tuesday, at the Masters 1000 in Madrid (clay court), the round of 16 began. The Russian Daniil Medvedev, seeded number 3, got rid of the Kazakh Alexander Bublik (N.17) 7-6 (7/3), 6-4. A success which allows him to have now reached the quarter-finals (or better) of the nine existing Masters 1000s. He is the tenth active player to achieve this.
For a place in the last four, he will face either Rafael Nadal or the young Czech Jiri Lehecka (31st), opposed in the evening. Asked about Nadal’s previous match, lasting more than three hours against the Argentinian Pedro Cachin (91st) on Monday, Medvedev estimated that there had been “a big third set”.
“He (Nadal) didn’t look very tired, Pedro (Cachin) did. It’s going to be super interesting to see how things go today (Tuesday), if Rafa is tired or not, if he’s better. I trained with Jiri (Lehecka) before the tournament and he played great tennis,” he continued.
Another Russian, Andrey Rublev (N.7) more easily dominated the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor (N.24) 6-2, 6-4. He, who remained on a series of four defeats before setting foot on the clay court of Madrid, did not lose a single set in three matches. In the next round, he will face Carlos Alcaraz, world No.3 and double holder of the trophy, or the German Jan-Lennard Struff (24th), outgoing finalist.
The American Taylor Fritz (N.12) defeated the Pole Hubert Hurkacz (N.8) 7-6 (7/2), 6-4.