ALL bar two seeds continued through to the Round of 16 after a big day of competition at the Madrid Open fantasy, while just the five matches went to three sets in what was a mostly one sided day of tennis. 

Three of the four Czech Republic competitors head through to the third round, with both Karolina Pliskova and Petra Kvitova getting the job done in straight sets while Marketa Vondrousova maintained consistency throughout in a tight tussle with Carla Suarez Navarro to come out victor, 6-2 5-7 7-6. Pliskova downed Magda Linette in a 53-minute 6-1 6-3 matchup, while Kvitova had a tougher time against Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic but forced errors and still came out on top in the 6-4 6-4 victory. Katerina Siniakova was not so lucky, taking on third seed Elina Svitolina and despite roaring out of the blocks to win the first couple of games, could not compete and eventually went down to the Ukrainian 6-4 6-1.

Netherlands’ Kiki Bertens came out with longest match of the day honours as well as the victory over the only Russian competitor left in the race, knocking out Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Pavlyuchenkova was not going down without a fight however, staying a threatening thorn in Bertens’ side throughout and not backing down, winning the second set but falling short in the first and third set tiebreakers to eventually go down 7-5 4-6 7-5.

Of the three players 20 years and under, 18-year-old Poland representative Iga Swiatek was the only winner as both Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Dayana Yastremska went down to their respective opposition. Swiatek was up against wildcard Spaniard, Sara Sorribes Tormo an well and  truly blew her out of the water early, and while Sorribes Tormo steadied in the second it was too late as Swiatek consolidated the victory with an ace to win 6-0 6-3. Yastremska was unlucky to draw fourteenth seed Johanna Konta, who downed thee young Ukrainian in straight sets, 6-1 6-3. Cocciaretto put up a tough battle against American, Sloane Stephens, winning the first set with relative ease but running out of puff in the latter stages, going down 2-6 6-3 6-3. 

Stephens was joined in the third round by compatriot Taylor Townsend who defeated sixteenth seed Aryna Sabalenka in a tough three-set battle. The qualifier lost the first set after leading for majority and allowing Sabalenka to get the better of her toward the end of the first, but came back with a vengeance in the second and third to ensure she made it through to the Round of 16 with the impressive 5-7 6-4 6-2 victory. Fellow American, Madison Keys had a far tougher time, taking on world number one Ash Barty and coming out second best. Keys’ recent form has seen her struggle against much lower ranked opposition and it showed against Barty, who was consistent as ever picking up the 6-2 6-3 victory.

The next four seeds in Simona Halep, Naomi Osaka, Garbine Muguruza and Belinda Bencic all continued their impressive winning form, all collection straight sets victories over their lower ranked opposition. Halep was the most threatening of the bunch collecting her 6-1 6-2 victory over Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson in less than an hour, while Muguruza and Bencic were not far behind, never looking like they would lose against their respective opposition in Caroline Garcia and Julia Goerges. Osaka was threatening as ever in the first set against Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, but had to fight off a stellar comeback from the qualifier in the second. Osaka eventually reigned supreme, 6-1 7-6 but her frustration was palpable, with her next competitor likely to deal with the onslaught in the Round of 16.

The final seed in Petra Martic struggled against Latvian, Jelena Ostapenko, going down in straight sets 6-2 6-3, while the last match saw Kazakh Yulia Putintseva collect a solid win over Kateryna Kozlova who put up a fight early but phased out, going down 6-7 6-0 6-2.

The Round of 16 will see some tough battles, as four seeded battles play out. Swiatek will have a real test when she takes on first seed Barty, while Bencic takes on Osaka in what looks like the match of the day.

ROUND OF 32 RESULTS:

[1] Ash Barty (AUS) defeated Madison Keys (USA) 6-2 6-3
[2] Simona Halep (ROU) defeated Rebecca Peterson (SWE) 6-1 6-2
[3] Elina Svitolina (UKR) defeated Katerina Siniakova (CZE) 6-4 6-1
[5] Karolina Pliskova (CZE) defeated Magda Linette (POL) 6-1 6-3
[6] Naomi Osaka (JPN) defeated [Q] Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 6-1 7-6
[7] Kiki Bertens (NED) defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 7-5 4-6 7-5
[9] Garbine Muguruza (ESP) defeated [Q] Caroline Garcia (FRA) 6-1 6-3
[Q] Taylor Townsend (USA) defeated [10] Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 5-7 6-4 6-2
[11] Belinda Bencic (SUI) defeated Julia Goerges (GER) 6-2 6-3
[12] Petra Kvitova (CZE) defeated Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 6-4 6-4
[14] Johanna Konta (GBR) defeated Dayana Yastremska (UKR) 6-1 6-3
Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) defeated [16] Petra Martic (CRO) 6-2 6-3
Iga Swiatek (POL) defeated [WC] Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) 6-0 6-3
Sloane Stephens (USA) defeated [WC] Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA) 2-6 6-3 6-3
Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) defeated Kateryna Kozlova (UKR) 6-7 6-0 6-2
Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) defeated [Q] Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) 6-2 5-7 7-6