Yuliia Starodubtseva made a surprising run to the quarterfinals of the China Open last autumn. After successfully navigating the qualifying rounds, she won four consecutive matches, all in straight sets, including a victory over World No. 14 Anna Kalinskaya in Beijing`s Round of 16. This was her best professional result at the time, pushing her into the Top 100 before her journey ended against Coco Gauff.
However, this breakthrough was followed by a significant slump: seven months, or 203 days, without a main-draw win on the Hologic WTA Tour. The 25-year-old Ukrainian participated in 15 professional events across four continents and ten countries during this period, failing to qualify eight times and losing in the first round seven times when she did make the main draw.
At the Mutua Madrid Open, she rediscovered her form. She won two qualifying matches and then secured a decisive 6-2, 6-2 victory over wild card Linda Fruhvirtova in the first round. She followed this up by defeating Elisabetta Cocciaretto 7-6 (5), 6-4 to advance to the third round.
Trailing by a set and a break, Starodubtseva mounted an impressive comeback to defeat No. 18 seed Liudmila Samsonova 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-0. Her opponent in Monday`s Round of 16 is the formidable No. 7 seed Mirra Andreeva, who has already claimed two WTA 1000 titles this year.
For several years, Starodubtseva`s ranking has fluctuated around No. 100, the benchmark for direct entry into Grand Slam main draws. She entered Madrid ranked No. 99, and her performance guarantees her at least a ranking of No. 80, just shy of her personal best.
Above all, Starodubtseva exemplifies resilience. Last year, she became the only player in the Open era to qualify for all four Grand Slams in a single calendar year, achieving her first major main draw win at Wimbledon.
While Starodubtseva is arguably the most unexpected participant in Monday and Tuesday`s Round of 16 matches, she is joined by four of the top five seeds: World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, No. 2 Iga Swiatek, No. 4 Coco Gauff, and No. 5 Madison Keys.
This article provides a mid-tournament review of the Mutua Madrid Open, highlighting the week`s surprises and offering a glimpse into potential future developments.
Swiatek-Eala II: A Learning Experience
The rematch between Iga Swiatek and Alexandra Eala, following Eala`s upset win in Miami, did not disappoint. One month after their straight-sets quarterfinal in Miami, they met again in Madrid on red clay, Swiatek’s preferred surface. The 19-year-old Filipina took the first set and a break lead but ultimately lost 10 of the final 13 games.
“Things to take back and to learn,” Eala commented after the match.
Match of the Tournament (So Far)
Despite trailing 4-1 in the third set and suffering a difficult fall, unseeded Belinda Bencic delivered a remarkable comeback performance. In a match lasting 3 hours and 3 minutes, she defeated No. 16 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (2). Bencic`s strong showing marks a significant step in her return to the tour after maternity leave.
Comeback Story V.2
Here`s another reason to appreciate tennis: Anastasija Sevastova, entering the tournament unranked, overcame a previous 0-8 head-to-head record to defeat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the first round in straight sets. Sevastova had her daughter Alexandra in December 2022, returned to the tour after 22 months, only to tear her ACL in her fourth event back in Austin last year. After rehabilitation and another 13-month break, the 35-year-old Latvian played two matches at a W75 event in Slovenia before arriving in Madrid. Her victory over Pavlyuchenkova set the stage for an even greater surprise.
Ostapenko`s Unexpected Exit
Jelena Ostapenko is known for her unpredictable yet entertaining style. The week prior, she was in peak form, defeating World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 Iga Swiatek en route to winning the Stuttgart title – a career highlight. However, in Madrid, the No. 23 seed unexpectedly lost her opening match to the unranked Anastasija Sevastova with a score of 7-6 (2), 6-2. This led to…
Order Restored
The feel-good narrative surrounding Sevastova`s comeback understandably concluded in the third round. She was defeated decisively by No. 13 seed Diana Shnaider, falling 6-0, 6-0 in just 44 minutes.
Notable Upsets
The tournament has seen several significant upsets, including Peyton Stearns` three-set victory over No. 15 Amanda Anisimova. However, Anastasia Potapova`s win over No. 8 Zheng Qinwen, 6-4, 6-4 in the second round, was particularly noteworthy.
While the top seven seeds remained in contention entering the second week, this changed rapidly. No. 3 Jessica Pegula and No. 6 Jasmine Paolini exited the tournament after losses to Moyuka Uchijima and Maria Sakkari, respectively. Uchijima`s win was her first against a Top 25 opponent, while Sakkari`s victory ended an 0-for-8 streak against Top 10 players.
Rupert Caldwell