Madrid Masters: Bublik into last 16

Kazakh Alexander Bublik, the No 17 seed, moved into the last 16 of the Madrid Masters by edging out American Ben Shelton, the No 14 seed, 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4 at the Caja Magica on Monday.

This is the first time Bublik has won consecutive matches on clay since Rome 2023, when he lost to Casper Ruud in the round of 32 – having beaten Shelton in the round of 64.

Shelton, the 14th seed, had come into the tournament with a perfect record on clay in 2024, having won the title in Houston.

Bublik, ranked No 18, will play the winner of the match between Russian Daniil Medvedev, the No 3 seed, and American Sebastian Korda, the No 25 seed, next.

In the previous round of the Madrid tournament, the Kazakh won against Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena (1-6, 6-2, 6-2).

Shelton, ranked No 15, beat Tomas Machac (6-0, 6-2) in the previous round of the Madrid tournament.

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Madrid Masters 1000, other third-round results (Caja Magica, clay, EUR 7.877.020, most recent results first):

• Jannik Sinner vs. Pavel Kotov
• Flavio Cobolli vs. Karen Khachanov
• Jakub Mensik vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime
• Rafael Nadal vs. Pedro Cachin
• Cameron Norrie vs. Casper Ruud
• Daniil Medvedev vs. Sebastian Korda
• Jiri Lehecka vs. Thiago Monteiro: monday
• Alexander Zverev (4) beat Denis Shapovalov: 6-4, 7-5
• Francisco Cerundolo (21) beat Tommy Paul (15): 6-7 (7), 6-4, 6-2
• Taylor Fritz (12) beat Sebastian Baez (18): 6-2, 6-3
• Carlos Alcaraz (2) beat Thiago Seyboth Wild: 6-3, 6-3
• Hubert Hurkacz (8) beat Daniel Altmaier: 6-4, 7-6 (2)
• Andrey Rublev (7) beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (27): 7-6 (10), 6-4
• Jan-Lennard Struff (23) beat Ugo Humbert (13): 7-5, 6-4
• Tallon Griekspoor (24) beat Holger Rune (11): 6-4, 4-6, 6-3