Andreescu wins in straight sets, cruising into Madrid Open 2nd round
Bianca Andreescu returned to the WTA 1000-level tennis in style at the Madrid Open, defeating McCartney Kessler of the United States 6-2, 6-4 in the first round. The 24-year-old Canadian from Mississauga, Ont., was in fine form, converting all four break-point opportunities she had against Kessler. On the other hand, the American struggled to capitalize on her chances, managing to convert just one out of eight break points.
Andreescu showcased her dominance on the clay court in Madrid, serving three aces and committing only one double fault. She won 54.6 percent of total points, setting up a second-round clash with world No. 11 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan. Rybakina holds the advantage in their head-to-head record, having won both of their previous meetings.
The former world No. 4 and 2019 U.S. Open champion recently made her comeback to the WTA circuit after a six-month hiatus. In her previous tournament, the Open de Rouen, she suffered a hard-fought 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (2) defeat to Suzan Lamens in the first round. Prior to that, Andreescu had last competed in October, falling to Katie Boulter in the Tokyo quarterfinals before taking time off to focus on her health.
Throughout her career, Andreescu has secured two 1000-level titles, with notable victories in Indian Wells and Toronto during her breakout 2019 season. She also reached the final of the 2021 Miami Open, showcasing her potential as a top contender on the tour.
In other matches at the Madrid Open, Leylah Fernandez, the 25th seed from Laval, Quebec, is set to take on Ann Li of the United States. On the men’s side, 18th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime and 29th seed Denis Shapovalov will play their second-round matches after receiving first-round byes.
Meanwhile, Italian teenager Federico Cina notched his second ATP Masters 1000 victory by defeating Coleman Wong in straight sets. The 18-year-old rising star saved both break points he faced against Wong and will next face American Sebastian Korda in the tournament.
Emma Raducanu, the Toronto-born 2021 U.S. Open champion, secured her first outdoor clay win since 2022, overcoming Suzan Lamens 7-6 (4), 6-4. Raducanu had faced setbacks due to injuries but displayed resilience on the court to advance in Madrid.
The Madrid Open saw other notable results on Wednesday, with Gael Monfils, Alexander Bublik, Francisco Comesana, Nuno Borges, Arthur Rinderknech, and Christopher O’Connell emerging victorious in their respective matches. The competition continues to heat up as top players vie for success on the clay courts of Madrid.
