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Third-round matches are definitely not all created alike, with upsets and matchups making them span the gamut for players wanting to reach the second week.
There is Elena Rybakina vs. Zheng Qinwen.
And then there is (and this is no slight on those players) … Sorana Sierra vs. Zeynep Sonmez.
And everything in between.
(Madrid is six hours ahead of EDT)
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Location: Madrid, Spain
Category: WTA 1000 (Joint event with the ATP Tour)
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Dates: April 21 – May 3, 2026
Prize Money: $8,235,540
Draws: S96 – D32
Sunday, April 26, 2026
Order of play
Singles, third round
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Manolo Santana Stadium (11 a.m. start – 5 a.m. EDT)
1. [3] Coco Gauff (USA) vs. [25] Sorana Cirstea (ROU)
4. [2] Elena Rybakina (KAZ) vs. [32] Zheng Qinwen (CHN) (not before 8 p.m.)
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Arantxa Sanchez Stadium
2. [19] Elise Mertens (BEL) vs. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) (not before 1 p.m.)
3. [5] Jessica Pegula (USA) vs. [26] Marta Kostyuk (UKR)
5. [21] Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) vs. [LL] Anastasia Potapova (RUS) (not before 9:30 p.m.)
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Stadium 3
1. Katerina Siniakova (CZE) vs. Caty McNally (USA)
2. [13] Linda Noskova (CZE) vs. [20] Liudmila Samsonova (RUS)
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Court 4
1. Zeynep Sonmez (TUR) vs. Solana Sierra (ARG)
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