Hungary’s Anna Bondar delivered a 6-3, 6-4 upset of No. 7 seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the second round of the Mutua Madrid Open on Thursday.
It was the first career top-10 win for Bondar, who advanced to face Czech teenager Laura Samson in the third round of the WTA 1000 clay-court tournament.
Bondar struck six aces and saved all six break points she faced in the 87-minute win over Svitolina, finishing with 27 winners and just nine unforced errors. She was the first Hungarian woman to defeat a top-10 opponent since Timea Babos at the 2018 Australian Open.
“I knew I had to bring my ‘A’ game, which I think I did today,” Bondar said in her on-court interview. “I played against her three times last year, so I knew what to expect. I think the conditions fit my game here really well — I like to use my heavy forehand, so I think that was one of the keys today.”
Svitolina received treatment on her ankle during a medical timeout while trailing 3-2 in the second set.
Bondar’s next opponent, the 18-year-old Samson, became the first player born in 2008 or later to reach the third round at the WTA 1000 level or above. Samson defeated No. 28 seed Xinyu Wang of China 2-6, 6-3, 6-0.
Three-time Madrid champion and top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus advanced with a 7-5, 6-3 victory against Peyton Stearns. Sabalenka converted four of 13 break points during 95-minute match.
“I’m just glad that I got the win,” Sabalenka said. “Maybe not that beautiful, but I felt by the end of the match, I felt much better on court.
“It wasn’t an easy one. I did my work before coming here, but altitude and these courts and her game, it wasn’t easy.”
Up next for Sabalenka, who is on a 13-match winning streak, is No. 29 seed Jacqueline Cristian of Romania. Cristian rallied for a 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 win against Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva in 3 hours and 6 minutes.
No. 4 seed Iga Swiatek of Poland, the 2024 Madrid champion, made quick work of Ukraine’s Daria Snigur with a 6-1, 6-2 victory in just 61 minutes.
Swiatek’s third-round opponent will be No. 31 seed Ann Li, who outlasted her American compatriot Alycia Parks 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3.
Also reaching the third round were No. 8 Jasmine Paolini of Italy, No. 9 Mirra Andreeva of Russia, No. 11 Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, No. 14 Naomi Osaka of Japan, No. 15 Iva Jovic, No. 18 Diana Shnaider of Russia, No. 24 Leylah Fernandez of Canada and No. 30 Hailey Baptiste.
–Field Level Media
