Thursday features the last men’s singles quarterfinal, as well as both women’s singles semifinals.
The WTA singles semifinals on Thursday feature three of the top four seeds. World No.1 Iga Swiatek faces Madison Keys, who is the first American woman not named Venus or Serena to reach the semifinals of both Madrid and Rome. And in a blockbuster semifinal, two-time Madrid champion Aryna Sabalenka squares off against a red-hot Elena Rybakina.
And with Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal due to a hip injury, Felix Auger-Aliassime receives a walkover to the semifinals. So Thursday will only feature one ATP singles quarterfinal, between Daniil Medvedev and Jiri Lehecka.
Each day, this preview will analyze the two most intriguing matchups, while highlighting other notable matches on the schedule. Thursday’s play gets underway at 12:00pm local time.
Daniil Medvedev (3) vs. Jiri Lehecka (30) – Not Before 8:00pm on Manolo Santana Stadium
Many are saying the courts in Madrid are playing like a hard court, and that is ideal for Medvedev, the self-described hard court specialist. But that’s really not true: this is now a second Masters 1000 quarterfinal for Daniil on this surface within the past year, after becoming the surprise champion in Rome last May. He’s 22-5 on the year, and now 14-4 on clay since the start of 2023.
Lehecka won what must be the most memorable match of his life in the last round, ending Rafael Nadal’s thrilling run in Rafa’s last appearance in his home country. Jiri has not dropped a set through three rounds, and was consistently serving over 140 miles per hour on Tuesday against Nadal. His composure in that nerve-racking environment was most impressive. Lehecka is now 16-8 in 2024, and this is his second Masters 1000 quarterfinal, after first advancing this far two months ago in Indian Wells.
This is a rematch from the round of 16 at Wimbledon last summer, when Medvedev advanced after winning the first two sets due to Lehecka’s retirement. If Jiri maintains his level from Tuesday, he will be extremely tough to beat. However, that will be challenging to do, especially as he looks to reach unchartered territory: a Masters 1000 semifinal. I expect Daniil’s defensive skills to enable him to reach another Masters semifinal on clay.
Elena Rybakina (4) vs. Aryna Sabalenka (2) – Not Before 9:30pm on Manolo Santana Stadium
The only two prior times Sabalenka has advanced out of the first round of this event, she’s won it. Aryna arrived in Madrid this year lacking her best tennis, but she’s still managed to reach a third semifinal here, outlasting opponents in a trio of three-setters. Sabalenka is 18-5 this year, and is vying for her first final since winning her second consecutive Australian Open crown.
No WTA player has achieved better results these last few months than Rybakina. She is now 30-4 this season, having already reached five finals, and winning three of them (Brisbane, Abu Dhabi, Stuttgart). Elena saved multiple match points on Wednesday to earn her first victory in three tries over Yulia Putintseva, extending her current winning streak to eight matches.
This is turning into one of the sport’s most prolific and dynamic rivalries. Sabalenka leads 5-3, though Rybakina has won three of their last four. Their 2023 Australian Open final remains their most notable encounter, and was a classic display of big serving and hitting. Based on recent form, as well as their most recent history, I give the slight edge to Elena on Thursday. While her quarterfinal the day before was much more complicated, saving match points may inspire her to play more freely in this semifinal.
Other Notable Matches on Thursday:
Iga Swiatek (1) vs. Madison Keys (18) – Swiatek is now 30-4 on the season, after coming back from a set down on Tuesday against Beatriz Haddad Maia. Keys is just 7-3, though she eliminated three top 20 seeds to reach this semifinal (Samsonova, Gauff, Jabeur). Iga is 2-1 against Madison, with the American’s only victory coming on a fast hard court in Cincinnati.
Thursday’s full Order of Play is here.
