Matching Report
Zverev survives Navone’s insult, keeping perfect points for Madrid’s openers
Third seed Auger-Aliassime, defending champion Ruud also advance
April 25, 2026
Thomas Coex/AFP via Getty Images
Alexander Zverev plays Mariano Navone on Saturday at the Mutua Madrid Open.
Written by Andy West
Alexander Zverev secured his first victory despite a difficult comeback at the Mutua Madrid Open on Saturday afternoon.
The German second seed cruised to a mid-match victory over Mariano Navone 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 and improved to 9-0 in opening matches at the clay ATP Masters 1000 event in the Spanish capital. Zverev, chasing his third Madrid title, went down twice in the second set but deftly recovered to secure a one-hour, 43-minute victory.
It is to win it 🎲
A two-time champion @AlexZverev dig deep to reach the third round in Madrid. @MutuaMadrid Open | #MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/FYHFilxxRS
– ATP Tour (@atptour) April 25, 2026
“The first set was almost perfect, and then I lost my focus completely,” Zverev said. “Then the second set, it was bad, but that’s what happens sometimes in the first match of the tournament. Definitely, I could have focused a little more, but the quality was there. The first set and the third set were good tennis, and I have to focus on that.”
Zverev ended his first Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with World No. Although he has yet to lift the trophy in 2026, Zverev has been a consistent performer: He reached the semifinals in five of the six tournaments he played before Madrid, and is third in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin behind only Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
After lifting the Madrid trophy in 2018 and 2021, Zverev will continue his bid to complete a hat-trick of titles on Caja Magica clay in a third-round meeting against Terence Atmane. 47th ranked Atmane earlier upset fellow Frenchman Ugo Humbert 7-6(3), 7-6(5).
“It’s definitely a different kind of tournament here,” Zverev said when asked about the high standards in Madrid. “I love it. You either love it or you hate it, because there is no in between. Everything is a little faster, the ball bounces a lot, the serve is probably more effective. So you love it or you hate it. To win two championships here, of course I hope to add more titles to that. I enjoy playing here.”
Felix Auger-Aliassime and defending champion Casper Ruud wasted little time joining Zverev in the third round. Auger-Aliassime, who reached the final in Madrid in 2024, defeated Vilius Gaubas 6-3, 6-4. The Canadian will next face 20-year-old Alexander Blockx of Belgium, who upset 28th-ranked Brandon Nakashima 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Ruud, meanwhile, showed his dismay at returning to the venue where he sought the biggest title of his career 12 months ago. The Norwegian 12 seed ran past a physically struggling Jaume Munar 6-0, 6-1 and will next face Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, after the 20 seed beat fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 6-3.
And on Saturday, Karen Khachanov and Jakub Mensik battled hard in the third round, each winning in straight sets. 13th-ranked Khachanov defeated Adam Walton 6-2, 6-3, while 23rd-ranked Mensik defeated Martin Damm 6-3, 6-4.
The Madrid meeting between Khachanov and Mensik will be the third Lexus ATP Head2Head, after Khachanov won the 2024 Doha final and the 2025 Indian Wells second round meeting. Whoever comes out on top in Madrid will face either Zverev or Atmane in the fourth round.
