Madrid Open: Maria Sakkari and Coco Gauff advance but Petra Kvitova suffers shock defeat ahead of French Open

Maria Sakkari is through to the third round of the Madrid Open after a straight-sets win over Arantxa Rus in the pre-French Open event.

The Greek star put recent sickness behind her – which left her unable to train – to take her first win of the season on clay.

Sakkari arrived in the Spanish capital on the back of three straight defeats. After losing to Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals at Indian Wells, she went on to first-round defeats at the Miami Open and Stuttgart Open.

After an early break in the first set, Sakkari served out to take the advantage.

A crucial moment came at the start of the second as, after breaking Rus in the opening game of the set, Sakkari erased her opponent’s triple break point to hold.

The Greek player did not have it all her own way, though. She lost her serve, and her cool during a feisty encounter with the umpire, but the world No. 9 battled through to take victory 6-4 6-4.

She will face wild card Rebeka Masarova next, after she beat Donna Vekic in straight sets.

Coco Gauff is also through after a largely dominant performance saw her defeat Irene Burillo 6-4 6-1.

The 19-year-old started slowly and was a break down in the first set but quickly turned the match in her favour.

Victory sees Gauff become the first teenage player to win 35 WTA 1000 main draw matches since 2009.

Three-time champion Petra Kvitova suffered a shock exit, going out against Germany’s Jule Niemeier.

Paula Badosa battled through an injury scare to reach the next round after eventually overcoming Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-3 4-6 6-4 in a tightly contested clash.

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