Tuesday features all ATP fourth round singles matches, as well as the first two WTA singles quarterfinals.
After playing for over three hours late in the day on Monday, what will Rafael Nadal have left on Tuesday night against the 30th seed, Jiri Lehecka? Overall the men’s fourth round singles matches feature seven of the top 10 seeds, including Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Daniil Medvedev.
Tuesday’s WTA singles quarterfinals are headlined by a rematch from last year’s Roland Garros semifinals, between Iga Swiatek and Beatriz Haddad Maia. Plus, Ons Jabeur looks to turn around a disappointing season against Madison Keys.
Each day, this preview will analyze the two most intriguing matchups, while highlighting other notable matches on the schedule. Tuesday’s play gets underway at 11:00am local time.
Iga Swiatek (1) vs. Beatriz Haddad Maia (11) – Not Before 12:30pm on Manolo Santana Stadium
At Roland Garros last June, Swiatek won the first set handily, but the second set was quite a roller coaster, with Iga eventually prevailing in a tiebreak after both players came from behind within the set. They have split their other two meetings, with Beatriz prevailing 7-5 in the third two years ago in Toronto, and Iga prevailing 6-2, 6-2 at the start of this season in the United Cup.
Swiatek is now 29-4 in 2024, after a 6-1, 6-0 drubbing of Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo on Monday. Iga is 9-2 in Madrid, and was the runner-up a year ago. Haddad Maia came into this fortnight with a losing record on the year, yet has not dropped a set through three rounds, upsetting fifth-seeded Maria Sakkari on Monday.
The altitude in Madrid does not create ideal conditions for Swiatek, as the ball travels more quickly than she prefers. And Haddad Maia is playing well, and has proven she is fully capable of defeating the World No.1. But I still favor the in-form Iga, especially on this surface.
Rafael Nadal (PR) vs. Jiri Lehecka (30) – Last on Manolo Santana Stadium
Nadal’s third round match on Monday against Pedro Cachin lasted for three hours and four minutes. And without Rafa getting a day of rest, I do not love his chances against Lehecka. The 22-year-old from the Czech Republic has a pretty big game, and has been steadily improving these last few seasons. Jiri is 15-8 in 2024, and won an ATP title this past January in Adelaide.
Lehecka won both of his first two Madrid matches in straight sets, and spent over an hour less time on court than Nadal on Monday. Rafa contested a very up-and-down match against Cachin, with both men struggling to maintain leads in the second and third sets. Rafa could not sustain his higher level from Saturday, when he beat Alex de Minaur in straight sets.
This will be the first time since the 2022 US Open that Nadal has played four matches at one tournament. And with his body at much less than 100% even before he played for three hours on Monday, a depleted King of Clay will likely struggle against a seeded player on Tuesday.
Other Notable Matches on Tuesday:
Daniil Medvedev (3) vs. Alexander Bublik (17) – Medvedev and Bublik both overcame seeded Americans on Monday, in Sebastian Korda and Ben Shelton. This rivalry between two of the sport’s most expressive and complicated characters has been dominated by Daniil, who is 6-0 against Alexander at all levels.
Andrey Rublev (7) vs. Tallon Griekspoor (24) – Rublev arrived in Madrid on a four-match losing streak, but survived a dramatic encounter with Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on Sunday. Griekspoor upset Holger Rune in the last round. Andrey is 2-0 against Tallon, though both matches have gone the distance.
Hubert Hurkacz (8) vs. Taylor Fritz (12) – Hurkacz is 23-9 on the year, and is coming off a title run on clay earlier this month in Estoril. Fritz is 17-7, and was the runner-up this month in Munich. Fritz leads their head-to-head 2-1.
Jan-Lennard Struff (23) vs. Carlos Alcaraz (2) – Alcaraz has dropped only nine games through four sets thus far. Struff upset 13th-seeded Ugo Humbert on Sunday, and just recently won his first ATP title in Munich at the age of 33. This is a rematch from last year’s championship match in Madrid, which Carlitos won in three.
Francisco Cerundolo (21) vs. Alexander Zverev (4) – Like Alcaraz, Zverev is a two-time champion of this event, and is yet to drop a set. Cerundolo came from a set down in the third round to take out Tommy Paul.
Jannik Sinner (1) vs. Karen Khachanov (16) – Sinner is now a superb 27-2 this season, but was a bit bothered by a hip issue on Monday. Jannik is 3-1 against Karen, and has claimed their last three encounters.
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. Casper Ruud (5) – Ruud won his ATP-leading 31st match of the year on Monday, while Auger-Aliassime advanced after only 36 minutes, due to Jakub Mensik’s retirement. Casper leads their head-to-head 3-1 at tour level.
Madison Keys (18) vs. Ons Jabeur (8) – Jabeur easily dispatched of Jelena Ostapenko on Monday, just her sixth win of 2024. Keys won a tough three-setter against the third seed, Coco Gauff. Ons is 2-0 against Madison.
Tuesday’s full Order of Play is here.
