Anastasia Potapova credits boyfriend Tallon Griekspoor after Madrid QF win Anastasia Potapova, the No. 56 player in the PIF WTA Rankings, secured a hard-fought quarter-final victory at the 2026 Mutua Madrid Open, crediting her boyfriend Tallon Griekspoor for his crucial support during the match. The Russian player faced off against Karolina Pliskova in a tightly contested third-set battle, ultimately prevailing 6-1, 6-7(4), 6-3 to advance to the semi-finals. Potapova emphasized that Griekspoor’s presence in the player box played a pivotal role in her mental resilience during the critical stages of the match. Griekspoor, the No. 33 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, had earlier suffered a doubles defeat on Wednesday afternoon, losing to Luke Johnson and Jan Zielinski 6-2, 4-6, 10-3 on Stadium 3. Despite this setback, the Dutchman quickly shifted his focus to supporting Potapova’s singles match. His arrival at the courtside during the final stages of the contest provided a significant emotional boost for the 25-year-old. Potapova described how Griekspoor’s encouragement helped her regain confidence after struggling mentally in the third set. “I was a little bit gone mentally in the third set,” Potapova admitted in her post-match interview. “I didn’t believe in myself at that moment. This is the first time I’m going to say it, but big respect to my boyfriend who came just on time. He saved me just in time. He kept telling me, ‘You can do this. We’re all together here. Just keep going.’ If I can say, I think in the third set it was most of his job to win this. I just played and mentally he just kept me there.” Potapova’s victory marked a significant milestone in her career, as she aimed for her first semi-final appearance at a WTA 1000 event.#pif_wta_rankings #tallon_griekspoor #pif_atp_rankings #mutua_madrid_open #anastasia_potapova
Jannik Sinner has flipped the No. 1 battle, now aims to pull away on clay Jannik Sinner has taken the lead in the World No. 1 race in the PIF ATP Rankings, positioning himself to extend his advantage over Carlos Alcaraz during the clay-court season. The Italian, who was trailing Alcaraz by over 3,000 points at the start of March, has since surged ahead with an impressive 18-match winning streak. This includes victories at the ATP Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells, Miami, and Monte-Carlo, solidifying his status as the top seed in this week’s Madrid Open. Alcaraz entered the season with a commanding lead, having won the Australian Open and the ATP 500 event in Doha. His 16-match winning streak and early dominance in the rankings gave him a significant cushion over Sinner. However, the Italian’s recent form has dramatically shifted the dynamics of the race. Entering the third round of the Madrid tournament, Sinner leads Alcaraz by 440 points in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, providing him a strong foundation to build upon. Sinner’s path to furthering his lead includes defending 650 finalist points in the Rome Masters, where he aims to win his first ATP Masters 1000 title on home soil. He will then move to Roland Garros, where he is defending 1,300 points. The 27-time tour-level champion seeks to join Alcaraz and others in completing the Career Grand Slam. Last year, Sinner had three championship points at the clay-court major before Alcaraz’s historic five-hour, 29-minute victory. Alcaraz’s absence from key clay-court events due to a right wrist injury could further widen the gap. The 22-year-old has announced he will miss the Rome and Roland Garros tournaments, events he won in 2025. This absence means Sinner is guaranteed to extend his lead by at least 1,050 points without even competing in those events.#jannik_sinner #carlos_alcaraz #pif_atp_rankings #madrid_open #rome_masters
Jannik Sinner aims to overcome Alexander Zverev in the Miami Open semi-finals, with a potential Sunshine Double on the line. The Italian, riding a 10-match winning streak since Indian Wells, is seeking to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2017 to win both Miami and Indian Wells in the same season. A victory would secure his second title of 2025 and bring him closer to Carlos Alcaraz in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. Sinner, ranked No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings, has dominated Zverev in their recent encounters, holding a 7-4 edge in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. Their latest clash in the semi-finals will mark their sixth meeting of the year, with Sinner winning their last two matches, including a 6-2, 6-4 victory in Indian Wells. Zverev, however, has historically been strong in Miami, dropping just one set in his previous four wins, including a 6-1, 6-2 quarter-final win over Francisco Cerundolo. Zverev, the tournament’s top seed, has been particularly aggressive in Miami, winning three of his four matches without facing a break point. His performance against Cerundolo showcased his dominance, as he broke the 18th seed’s serve repeatedly. The German, who leads the ATP Masters 1000 wins this decade with 105, will aim to extend his semi-final streak at the event, which he has reached in five of the past six editions. Sinner, meanwhile, has been in scintillating form, highlighted by a 6-2, 6-2 victory over home favorite Frances Tiafoe. The Italian fired 14 aces and lost just nine points on serve, demonstrating his precision and power. With a semi-final berth, Sinner can now focus on the final, where he faces either Arthur Fils or Jiri Lehecka, both making their ATP Masters 1000 final debuts.#jannik_sinner #alexander_zverev #miami_open #pif_atp_rankings #live_race_to_turin
