Defending champion Iga Swiatek had to dig deep to overcome an early scare and secure her place in the third round of the Madrid Open on Thursday. The world number two rallied from a set down to defeat rising Filipina star Alexandra Eala 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in an intense clay-court encounter in the Spanish capital. The 19-year-old Eala, ranked 72nd, stunned Swiatek in straight sets in Miami just a month ago, and she looked poised to repeat that upset after taking the opening set with confident shot-making and remarkable resilience. Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion, struggled to find her rhythm early on, committing a flurry of unforced errors as Eala capitalized on her opportunities.
Eala broke Swiatek in the opening game of the match and survived multiple break points in her early service games, eventually breaking again to lead 5-2. Although Swiatek pulled one break back, Eala held her nerve and served out the first set, winning it on her third set point after the Polish star sent a backhand long. Swiatek’s first set woes were evident in her conversion rate—she managed just one of six break point opportunities, while Eala converted both of hers. The second set began in similar fashion with Eala breaking serve again, but Swiatek responded immediately, showing flashes of her clay-court expertise. When Eala went up 3-2 with another break, Swiatek again responded, leveling the set and gradually lifting her game.
Swiatek’s consistency returned as she broke Eala to love in the tenth game to take the set and force a decider. With her timing finally aligned and unforced errors reduced, she dominated the third set, breaking Eala in the second and sixth games. Eala did manage to break back and saved a match point, but Swiatek ultimately prevailed as Eala's final shot sailed long. Speaking to reporters after the match, Swiatek acknowledged her early struggles. “I felt like I was making too many errors from everything, so there wasn’t like one specific adjustment I had to make,” she said. “For sure, I wanted to keep my margins and play a little bit more safe, just to play more balls in.”
She also spoke about her fondness for the Madrid Open. “It wasn’t easy to get into the rhythm and the right timing, and I’m happy that I was just patient,” she told Spanish broadcaster TVE. “I always love playing here, for sure I’m proud of my performances in the last two years.” Swiatek will now face Czech teenager Linda Noskova in the third round as she continues her title defense. Elsewhere in the tournament, there were notable performances from other top players.
Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova delivered a surprise result, ousting her higher-ranked compatriot and 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets 7-6 (7/2), 6-2. Ostapenko had recently defeated Swiatek in the Stuttgart quarterfinals and was seen as a dangerous clay-court contender. Fifth seed and Australian Open champion Madison Keys progressed comfortably, defeating Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti 6-4, 6-3. Keys will next take on Anna Kalinskaya in what promises to be a compelling third-round clash.
In one of the day’s most dramatic matches, fourth seed Coco Gauff had to battle back from a disastrous start to beat Dayana Yastremska 0-6, 6-2, 7-5. After losing the first set without winning a game, Gauff showed her trademark fighting spirit to turn the match around. Despite leading 5-4 in the third and holding three match points, Gauff allowed Yastremska to break back. However, the Ukrainian failed to capitalize on her service game, and Gauff broke again for 6-5. Finally, on her fourth match point, the 2023 US Open champion closed out the victory. Gauff will face fellow American Ann Li in the third round as she looks to continue her run in Madrid. With several top names advancing and thrilling early-round battles, the Madrid Open is shaping up to be a high-stakes prelude to the French Open. Swiatek, Gauff, and Keys remain strong contenders, but the emergence of young talents like Alexandra Eala signals a growing depth in women’s tennis that promises more surprises ahead.
