Halep, historic in Madrid, and Brady fall in the second round

Simona Halep, one of the historical players of the Mutua Madrid Open, twice champion (2016 and 2017) and two other finalists (2014 and 2019) fell this Tuesday in the round of 16 against Elise Mertens, who had not been able to win it so far on land in their three previous matches. The 25-year-old Belgian and 16th in the world, managed the third in three sets: 4-6, 7-5 and 7-5 in 2h: 34 and will face the Belarusian in the quarterfinals Aryna Sabalenka, which passed over the American Jessica Pegula (6-1 and 6-2) and he showed that this year he has come with the intention of winning, unlike in his two previous participations in which he did not surpass the premiere.

Halep let himself go back and in the third set wasted a break advantage in a carousel of breaks in which he came out losing. Simona accumulated 10 double faults and only won 56% of points with her first serves. That is why he lost his serve up to eight times. Mertens had never made it past the second round in Madrid and was finer in the highlights of the match, like Halep's last disastrous serve. The most victorious player of 2020 has 20 wins in 2021.

Brady says goodbye to Pavlyuchenkova

Another seed who said goodbye to the Magic Box was the American Jennifer Brady. The Russian Pavlyuchenkova, 41st in the WTA ranking who plays her 12th edition of the Mutua, eliminated her in two hours and 47 minutes with a disputed 7-5, 6-7 (8) and 6-3. With this, there are already three top-25 players who have succumbed to her (before Pliskova and Keys fell) so far this tournament. In the case of Brady, who made his first main draw appearance after falling three times in the qualy, It is the first defeat of his career against Samara, as they had never faced each other before. Pavlyuchenkova will face the Czech Muchova in the quarterfinals, who after eliminating Osaka in the second round, defeated the Greek Sakkari, 16th favorite, in the second round, 6-0, 6-7 (9) and 7-5, in a game that ended without an audience and at the stroke of midnight. Muchova is 6-0 against the top-20 in 2021.

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