Alexander Zverev is trying to make a trip to a fourth Madrid final and will continue his quest against Denis Shapovalov on Sunday. Third-round action also includes a showdown between Andrey Rublev and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
(PR) Denis Shapovalov vs. (4) Alexander Zverev
Zverev and Shapovalov will be squaring off for the eighth time in their careers when they clash in round three of the Mutua Madrid Open on Sunday. The head-to-head series stands at 5-3 in favor of Zverev, who won their only previous clay-court contest 6-4, 6-1 at this same Madrid tournament in 2018. They most recently faced each other last summer in the grass of Halle, where the German cruised 6-2, 6-4.
Shapovalov has to be happy just to find himself in the round of 32. In fact, this is just the second time since Wimbledon that he has won multiple main-draw matches in the same week (also in Miami). The 132nd-ranked Canadian has advanced in Madrid by defeating Facundo Diaz Acosta in three sets and Tomas Martin Etcheverry in straights. Zverev, who beat Borna Coric 6-3, 6-2 on Friday, is a two-time champion in Madrid and also finished runner-up in 2022 (lost to Carlos Alcaraz). All signs point to the world No. 5 taking care of business without too much trouble.
Pick: Zverev in 2
(7) Andrey Rublev vs. (27) Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
This spring has been a disaster so far for Rublev. He won only a single match combined in Indian Wells and Miami before losing right away in both Monte-Carlo (to Alexei Popyrin) and Barcelona (to Brandon Nakashima). However, the eighth-ranked Russian has a much-needed win under his belt in Madrid (6-1, 6-4 over Facundo Bagnis) and that just might send him off to the races.
A matchup with Davidovich Fokina may help, as well. Rublev is sweeping the head-to-head series 3-0 and has won seven of nine total sets. That being said, every match has been competitive. They met twice in 2023, with Rublev prevailing in a third-set tiebreaker in Dubai before getting the job done 7-6(8), 6-3 on the red clay of Rome. Davidovich Fokina is a mediocre 9-9 this year after getting past a fatigued Jerry Shang 7-5, 6-3 in round two. The 28th-ranked Spaniard could be a tough out at home, but Rublev should advance.
Pick: Rublev in 3
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