Friday features second round ATP and WTA singles matches.
Spanish No.1 Carlos Alcaraz is the two-time defending champion in his nation’s capital, and will play his first match of the fortnight on Friday. Other second round action includes another two-time Madrid champ, Aryna Sabalenka, as well as the two hottest WTA players of the year: Elena Rybakina and Danielle Collins. Plus, two of the WTA’s most impressive teenagers, Linda Noskova and Mirra Andreeva, square off on an outer court to start the day.
Each day, this preview will analyze the two most intriguing matchups, while highlighting other notable matches on the schedule. Friday’s play gets underway at 11:00am local time.
Mirra Andreeva vs. Linda Noskova (29) – 11:00am on Court 8
It was a year ago at this very event when Andreeva made her first impression on tour. In just the second WTA tournament of her career, a then-15-year-old Mirra advanced to the fourth round by beating three top 50 players (Fernandez, Haddad Maia, Linette). Andreeva would go on to earn 11 victories between Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and is now a member of the top 50 herself.
However, she’s a modest 9-5 on the year, and this is her first time defending such a big result in her young career. In the first round, she outlasted Taylor Townsend 7-5 in the third.
19-year-old Noskova was a breakout star of this past January’s Australian Open, upsetting World No.1 Iga Swiatek to achieve her first Major quarterfinal. Linda has only won back-to-back matches twice since leaving Melbourne, and lost in straight sets last week in Stuttgart to Emma Raducanu. So neither player comes into this matchup in top form.
This is a rematch from the beginning of this year in Brisbane, where Noskova beat Andreeva 7-5, 6-3. Despite Mirra’s success at this event a year ago, Linda should be favored to prevail again on Friday.
Alexander Shevchenko vs. Carlos Alcaraz (2) – Not Before 4:00pm on Manolo Santana Stadium
Alcaraz is 15-4 in 2024, and in Indian Wells won his first title since last summer. He’s also on an 11-match winning streak in Madrid. But Carlitos withdrew from both Monte Carlo and Barcelona due to a right arm injury, and admitted this week he is still not feeling 100% healthy.
Shevchenko is a 23-year-old who debuted inside the top 50 earlier at the end of last year, thanks to 45 match wins at all levels, and reaching the final of Metz in November. He was in born in Russia, but earlier this season started representing Kazakhstan. Alexander defeated Arthur Rinderknech in three sets on Wednesday.
In their first career meeting, Alcaraz is a considerable favorite despite his current injury. But his level on Friday may reveal how likely he is to win third consecutive title in Madrid.
Other Notable Matches on Friday:
Lucia Bronzetti vs. Elena Rybakina (4) – Rybakina is now 26-4 this season, but she’s just 3-3 lifetime in Madrid. Bronzetti is a top 50 player from Italy who won a WTA title on clay last May in Rabat.
Magda Linette vs. Aryna Sabalenka (2) – Sabalenka won this event in 2021 and 2023, though she’s understandably struggled on court after the shocking death of her ex-boyfriend last month. She is 3-0 against Linette, which includes a straight-set victory in last year’s Australian Open semifinals.
Borna Coric vs. Sascha Zverev (4) – Zverev is another two-time champ in Madrid, having won in 2018 and 2021. He has split six previous meetings with Coric, who has a losing record this year at tour level.
Danielle Collins (13) vs. Olga Danilovic (Q) – Collins arrives on a 13-match winning streak, after claiming back-to-back titles in Miami and Charleston. Danilovic has already won three matches in Madrid, after successfully coming through qualifying.
Friday’s full Order of Play is here.
