FOUR of the top 10 seeds were bundled out in a mixed day of results at the 2020 ATP Madrid Open fantasy tennis tournament. Whilst the top three players got through unscathed, there were plenty of high profile casualties on a day where many seeds were forced into three-set battles against their respective opponents.

Fourth seed Roger Federer was the biggest casualty of all, falling to unseeded Serbian Dusan Lajovic in three sets. Despite winning the first set comfortably, the Swiss Master uncharacteristically fell away in the second set, and whilst it was a battle of wits in the decider, ultimately fell short in a third set tiebreaker, 1-6 6-1 7-6. He joined fifth seed Daniil Medvedev on the sidelines after the Russian lost to British qualifier Andy Murray, 7-6 6-2.

Also out of the Madrid Open were eighth seed Diego Schwartzman and ninth seed Gael Monfils. In what has become somewhat of a curse, Schwartzman’s last start win at Estoril did not hand him any favours as the diminutive Argentinian bowed out to red-hot Chilean Cristian Garin in straight sets. Monfils actually forced Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov into three sets – and even won the second set 6-0 – but could not force a win, going down 7-5 0-6 6-3 in that match.

It was more business as usual for the top three seeds in Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem who won through without conceding more than three games in any of their combined six sets. Also through to the Round of 16 in straight sets was seventh seed Alexander Zverev, while sixth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas took three sets to take out American Reilly Opelka, 6-2 4-6 6-2.

The only other seed to fall on day three was 13th seed Italian Matteo Berrettini. The former top 10 player slipped up once again, this time losing to French qualifier Jeremy Chardy, 6-3 7-5. Chardy was the only French winner on the day with Monfils and Benoit Paire both bowing out, with Paire having an unusual 0-6 6-0 7-6 loss to Argentinian wildcard Juan Martin del Potro.

Among other results, David Goffin defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber in three sets and Nikoloz Basilashvili rolled past Miomir Kecmanovic in straight sets. Two of the three remaining winners had to fight from a set down to win in Karen Khachanov and Stan Wawrinka, while Canada’s Milos Raonic won 7-5 1-6 6-2 over Japan’s Kei Nishikori.

The in-form Basilashvili now takes on the King of Clay in Nadal tomorrow, whilst Tsitsipas matches up against del Potro and Garin faces Goffin in some of the matches of the day that should not be missed.

ROUND OF 32 RESULTS:

[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) defeated Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) 6-3 6-3
[2] Rafael Nadal (ESP) defeated [WC] Kevin Anderson (RSA) 6-2 6-2
[3] Dominic Thiem (AUT) defeated [Q] Laslo Djere (SRB) 6-2 6-2
Dusan Lajovic (SRB) defeated [4] Roger Federer (SUI) 1-6 6-1 7-6
[Q] Andy Murray (GBR) defeated [5] Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 7-6 6-2
[6] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) defeated Reilly Opelka (USA) 6-2 4-6 6-2
[7] Alexander Zverev (GER) defeated [Q] Guido Pella (ARG) 6-1 7-6
Cristian Garin (CHI) defeated [8] Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 7-6 6-3
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) defeated [9] Gael Monfils (FRA) 7-5 0-6 6-3
[11] David Goffin (BEL) defeated [Q] Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 6-3 4-6 6-4
[Q] Jeremy Chardy (FRA) defeated [13] Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 6-3 7-5
[14] Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) defeated Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) 6-1 6-1
[15] Karen Khachanov (RUS) defeated Marin Cilic (CRO) 3-6 7-5 6-4
[16] Stan Wawrinka (SUI) defeated Borna Coric (CRO) 2-6 6-2 6-3
[WC] Juan Martin del Potro (ARG) defeated Benoit Paire (FRA) 0-6 6-0 7-6
Milos Raonic (CAN) defeated Kei Nishikori (JPN) 7-5 1-6 6-2