Rybakina Survives Zheng Test to Reach Madrid Round of 16
Hope
World No. 2 Elena Rybakina was forced to dig deep on Sunday night before overcoming a determined Zheng Qinwen 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a gripping fourth-round clash at the Mutua Madrid Open.
In a match lasting two hours and 21 minutes, Rybakina showed her resilience once again, recovering from a set down to extend her strong start to the 2026 season. The victory marked her 27th win of the year and maintained her status as one of the most consistent performers on tour.
Zheng, the Olympic champion, started strongly by taking the opening set 6-4, using her aggressive baseline game and powerful serving to put Rybakina under pressure. She continued to trouble the Kazakh in the second set and even led with opportunities to extend her advantage.
However, the match shifted as Zheng’s unforced errors began to increase at crucial moments. She finished with 45 unforced errors, including nine double faults, compared to Rybakina’s more controlled and consistent approach from the baseline.
Rybakina capitalised on the momentum swings, breaking back early in the second set before levelling the match 6-4. In the deciding set, she struck first to move ahead 3-1 and, despite Zheng briefly responding with a break, the world No. 2 immediately regained control to move 4-2 ahead.
From there, Rybakina maintained her composure, applying steady pressure in rallies and serving effectively to close out the match 6-3, booking her place in the last 16.
The result further strengthens Rybakina’s head-to-head record against Zheng and underlines her ability to perform under pressure in long three-set matches.
She will now face Anastasia Potapova in the quarterfinals, where she will aim to continue her strong run in Madrid and move one step closer to the title.
For Zheng, despite the defeat, there were still be positives in her level of play, particularly in the opening set, as she continues her development on clay and against top-ranked opposition.
