MADRID — A day after snapping her six-match losing streak in the first round of the Mutua Madrid Open, Egypt’s Mayar Sherif played the best match of her season to defeat 25th seed Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 7-5 to advance to the third round.
Sherif’s back-to-back wins — her first since July of 2023 — earn her a shot at No.4 Elena Rybakina next.
Sherif’s victory was just one sign of a tough day for the top seeds in Madrid. Five seeded players in the bottom half of the draw took an early second-round exit, highighted by No.5 seed Zheng Qinwen. The Australian Open finalist bowed out to Yulia Putintseva via retirement. Putintseva led 7-5, 2-0 when Zheng decided she could not continue the match due to a right thigh injury.
Putintseva will face American Caroline Dolehide in the third round. No.56 Dolehide rode the wave of upsets to her second Top 40 win of the season, besting No.30 seed Anhelina Kalinina 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-3.
Ashlyn Krueger joined Dolehide in ousting a seed to earn a third-round berth. Making her tournament main-draw debut, the 19-year-old American overpowered 14th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova to win 6-3, 6-3.
More to follow…
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