Madrid Rolls On — Minus Novak, Plus Some Drama

Love-Love Letter #6 | April 25-27

Your tennis cheat sheet — for fans who like the game, but don’t want to live on Tennis Twitter.

🌍 Where in the World Are We?

The Madrid Open rolls into its second week with the ATP in the Round of 16 and the WTA in the Fourth Round as of today. It’s been messy, spicy, and very on-brand.
📌 What’s happening: Zverev knocked out Spain’s last hope, Djokovic crashed out early, and defending champ Rublev got stunned by Bublik. Sabalenka, Swiatek, and a few familiar faces are still alive... for now.

✅ Results You Should Know

Moyuka Uchijima def. Jessica Pegula 6–3, 6–2 (R3)
💡 Why it matters: World No. 56 Uchijima stunned No. 3 seed Pegula for her first Top 25 win, marking a breakout moment in her career. Pegula claiming she “doesn’t like clay” feels fair.

Aryna Sabalenka def. Elise Mertens 3–6, 6–2, 6–1 (R3)
💡 Why it matters: After a shaky start, Sabalenka rallied to defeat her former doubles partner, extending her winning streak against Mertens to nine matches.

Matteo Arnaldi def. Novak Djokovic 6–3, 6–4 (R2)
💡 Why it matters: Djokovic suffered his first opening-match loss in Madrid in 18 years, raising questions about his form ahead of Roland Garros (and maybe retirement?)

🔥 Can’t-Miss Highlights

🎥 Some crazy shotmaking from Bublik
A forehand ripper. Maybe the best dropshot of the year from well beyond the baseline. Bublik both won points and looked good doing it in this one.
▶️ Watch the two consecutive points here (start at 0:24)

📆 What to Watch For (Monday, 4/28 - Tennis Channel ET)

👀 Iga Swiatek vs. Diana Shnaider
🕒 7:00 AM
💡 Why it matters: Swiatek’s looked ruthless so far — but Shnaider’s a lefty with nothing to lose. Trap match potential.

👀 Aryna Sabalenka vs. Peyton Stearns
🕒 10:00 AM
💡 Why it matters: Sabalenka’s on shaky early-round form. If she starts slow again, Stearns could make this messy.

👀 Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Lorenzo Musetti
🕒 2:00 PM
💡 Why it matters: Two of the prettiest one-handed backhands in tennis. May the flairiest flair win.

📰 Off-Court Happenings

Djokovic's Retirement Hints Intensify
After his third consecutive loss, Novak Djokovic admitted to facing a "new reality" and hinted at possible retirement, stating uncertainty about returning to Madrid and contemplating his future in professional tennis.

Gauff Advocates for Prize Money Reform
Coco Gauff has called for significant changes in tennis, particularly concerning the distribution of prize money. She argues that unlike in other sports, tennis disproportionately rewards only top players, leaving those lower ranked at a disadvantage.

Wozniacki Announces Third Pregnancy
Caroline Wozniacki, 34, has announced she is expecting her third child with husband David Lee, sharing the news via Instagram with a family photo and the caption, “Officially switching to zone defense!”

👗 An Outfit Worth Seeing

Tommy Paul with a sleek, all-gray ensemble.
While others went a little more wild, he went clean and fresh.