The winners of the last two editions of the Madrid Masters rolled over minimal opposition on Thursday to reach the third round with quick-fire victories.

Holder Aryna Sabalenka ran her current win streak to 13 straight matches with a 7-5, 6-3 defeat of Payton Stearns, earning her seventh straight victory in Madrid.

The world No. 1 has claimed three titles here from four finals and is riding a wave of confidence after lifting trophies in Indian Wells and Miami last month.

“I’m just glad that I got the win. Maybe not that beautiful, but I feel like by the end of the match I felt much better on court,” Sabalenka said. “I really hope that in the next match I’ll bring better things.”

The winner now faces Romanian 29th seed Jaqueline Cristian.

“Today was a fresh start for me. And it wasn’t that smooth and maybe the movement wasn’t that good.

“But I’m happy I got a win. And I’ll just do some extra stuff tomorrow. Make sure that in the next match I’ll be playing a little bit better,” said the four-time Grand Slam winner.

Iga Swiatek, the fourth seed and former WTA No. 1, advanced as she crushed Daria Snigur 6-2, 6-4 in a 61-minute first outing after hiring former Emma Raducanu mentor Francisco Roig as her new coach a few weeks ago.

Swiatek is bidding for a fifth career title on clay and comes to the Spanish capital after losing in a Stuttgart quarter-final last week to Mirra Andreeva.

Jannik Sinner enters this weeks Madrid Open in search of another record.

If the Italian World No. 1 claims the title on 3 May he will become the first player  to win five consecutive ATP Masters 1000 titles.

Sinner was forced to retire during his third-round match in Shanghai last October but has since lifted the trophies in Paris, Indian Wells, Miami and Monte-Carlo.

The 24-year-old did not drop a single set at the three hard-court events, though Tomas Machac put an end to his record breaking streak at 37 in the Monte-Carlo third round.

When Sinner defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the Monte-Carlo final earlier this month he returned  to No. 1 in the ATP Rankings for the first time since November 2025.

The Italian became the first player to win the ‘Sunshine Double’ with victories in Indian Wells and Miami, without dropping a set.

On three previous occasions Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal once each won four consecutive ATP Masters 1000’s

Djokovic won five trophies in a row at that level between Paris in 2014 and Rome in 2015 but did not play in Madrid that year.

Sinner is next aiming at  breaking  Djokovic’s record of winning six Masters 1000 titles in a single season in 2015.

The Italian is already an eight-time Masters 1000 champion, but Monte-Carlo was his first trophy at that  level on the clay.

Sinner’s best result in Madrid thus far was a run to the quarter final in 2024

The top seed will open against qualifier, Benjamin Bonzi  on Friday.

Jannik Sinner will take back the No. 1 ranking on Monday after winning his fourth consecutive Masters 1000 title with a 7-6 (5), 6-3 defeat of rival Carlos Alcaraz.

The Italian’s win in two and a quarter hours as gusting winds began to play up at the seaside Monte Carlo Country Club has won the last four events in the elite series: Paris Indoors, Indian Wells, Miami and now in the principality for the first time.

The 24-year-old who began his sporting life as a child ski racer before picking up a racquet extended his current Masters win streak to 22 matches.

He joins Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as the only players to win four consecutive Masters tournaments.

“I don’t know where to start,” Sinner said after victory, with Alcaraz sending a service return long on his opponent’s first match point.

“We came here hoping to play as many matches as possible and get some feedback (on his clay game).

“This is another amazing result,” he said after losing last May’s Roland Garros final in Paris to Alcaraz.

“To get back to No. 1 means a lot to me. But the ranking is secondary. I’m happy to win a big trophy on this surface.”

Sinner won the 74-minute opening set but trailed 3-1 in the second before breaking back for 3-all and repeating for 5-3 moments later.

“I always felt close on the return game,” Sinner said. “I think new balls helped me at 1-3.  I tried to stay strong mentally and kept pushing.”

Alcaraz, who stayed atop the rankings for 66 weeks, will drop to second but still leads the head-to-head 10-7.

Sinner claimed the 27th title of his career and third this season after the Australian Open and Doha.

Alcaraz was quick to praise his rival: “You have showed the world the work you and your team are doing,” said the Spanish defending champion. “It’s nice to see you winning in front of your family.

“This is not the ending we wanted but I’ve enjoyed every day here at the only one-week Masters tournament remaining. 

“We enjoyed every day on and off the court here.”

Main photo:- Jannik Sinner with Monte Carlo Masters trophy – by ISF Ltd