Sabalenka survives Osaka test to move into Madrid quarters, Rybakina & Gauff sent packing

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabalenka-aryna/vyhksgUB/"]Sabalenka[/a], who has claimed titles at Miami, Indian Wells and Brisbane this year, was tested by her Japanese opponent in the fourth-round clash but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/osaka-n-MDM4BKiA/sabalenka-a-vyhksgUB/?mid=0rlSKBhL"]came back from a set and a break down to triumph[/a].[/p][p]"[b]I was just trying to take one ball at a time and my team was there for me, they really (pushed) me to keep fighting, and I'm really happy that I didn't give up and I was pushing until the very last point[/b]," said Sabalenka on court.[/p][p]She later told reporters: "[b]When (she) put me under pressure, I was able to pull out really incredible shots and incredible tennis. So I'm happy[/b]."[/p][embed guid="d13eef4e-0895-45ae-b437-9e3719bf3e89" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkgQ2qc9kJs" social-type="youtube" /][p]The first set between the two four-time Grand Slam winners was tight, with only one break point forced by Sabalenka, which [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/osaka-naomi/MDM4BKiA/"]Osaka[/a] saved to hold for 2-1.[/p][p]Osaka dominated in the tie-break, ripping into a 5-0 lead and then triumphing when Sabalenka lashed a return wide.[/p][p]Sabalenka stepped up a gear in the second frame, although world number 15 Osaka dug deep to survive three break points and then managed to engineer a break for herself to take a 2-1 lead.[/p][p]However, the Belarusian immediately broke to love and then again in the eighth game, serving out to take the second set.[/p][p]Only [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rybakina-elena/UDzElXdm/"]Elena Rybakina[/a] has beaten Sabalenka this year, in the Australian Open final, and the 27-year-old dominated in the third set, securing breaks in the fifth and seventh games while Osaka could not put pressure on her opponent's serve.[/p][p]Sabalenka sealed her victory serving to love with an ace to reach the last eight, where she will face American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/baptiste-hailey/Cjagsdf4/"]Hailey Baptiste[/a], who beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bencic-belinda/ObGlDvu0/"]Belinda Bencic[/a] in three sets, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/baptiste-h-Cjagsdf4/bencic-b-ObGlDvu0/?mid=hWPeZ6Di"]including losing a tie break 16-14 in the second[/a].[/p][p]"[b]She's an incredible player, we had a really tight match in Miami, and especially here in Madrid, I think this surface suits her game[/b]," added Sabalenka.[/p][p]Osaka said she was happy with pushing Sabalenka to the wire after going down in straight sets when they met at Indian Wells.[/p][p]"[b]I feel like every game was super close. I think... I could potentially match her in power[/b]," said Osaka.[/p][p]"[b]I feel like in Indian Wells I was a little overwhelmed. Here I did a little bit better[/b].[/p][p]"[b]Obviously, she's the number one player in the world, so it was a really cool match for me to know that I'm kind of there[/b]."[/p][h2]World's No. 2 Rybakina eliminated[/h2][p]Australian Open champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rybakina-elena/UDzElXdm/"]Rybakina[/a] fell to a shock [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/potapova-a-x81l09qG/rybakina-e-UDzElXdm/?mid=nmd0BRoD"]7-6 (10/8), 6-4[/a] defeat by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/potapova-anastasia/x81l09qG/"]Anastasia Potapova[/a] on Monday in the Madrid Open fourth round.[/p][p]In the day's late match, Kazakhstan's Rybakina, the world number two, was shocked by her 56th-ranked opponent.[/p][p]Both players secured two breaks in the first set before Potapova edged Rybakina in the tie-break.[/p][p]In the second set, Rybakina captured her fifth break point of a long fifth game to nose ahead but lost the eighth and 10th games as Potapova triumphed.[/p][p][b]"I'm speechless, I'm extremely happy, it was such a tough match and tough opponent,"[/b] said Austria's Potapova.[/p][p][b]"My team helped me today, they were there for me, big thanks (to them)."[/b][/p][embed guid="4b7b7f4f-3bb4-4de6-95ec-b055abce1ec5" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=864f1Y_cLX0&pp=ygUMd3RhIHJ5YmFraW5h" social-type="youtube" /][h2]Gauff dumped[/h2][p]Third seed Coco Gauff was eliminated in a three-set battle with Linda Noskova, which was decided on a final-set tie-break.[/p][p]World number three Gauff, who had been dealing with a stomach bug this week, fell to a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/gauff-c-f5BXmEH6/noskova-l-zHMiAkw6/?mid=xxueEJGi"]6-4, 1-6, 7-6(5)[/a] defeat by Noskova.[/p][embed guid="773a22f1-70ae-4e12-bde7-b2696e0fdcc8" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4WYCZn0rBQ" social-type="youtube" /][p]The Czech earned a decisive break in the fifth game of the first set, but American Gauff secured two of her own to claim the second.[/p][p]Gauff moved two breaks up in the third but let the match slip away from her as Noskova pulled back to level 4-4.[/p][p]The American led 3-0 in the tie break before again could not hold on.[/p][h2]Zverev progresses[/h2][p]Two-time former Madrid champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zverev-alexander/dGbUhw9m/"]Zverev[/a], ranked third in the world, showed his quality as he defeated [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/atmane-terence/6mkEQ279/"]Atmane[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/atmare-t-6mkEQ279/zverev-a-dGbUhw9m/?mid=UPYGl6vp"]6-3, 7-6 (7/2)[/a] to reach the fourth round.[/p][p]Serving well, Zverev kept the Frenchman at arm's length in the first set with two breaks.[/p][embed guid="97886248-4e17-408c-bc70-d15064951a34" url="https://x.com/TennisTV/status/2048854682995474499" social-type="twitter" /][p]The second was closer with Atmane battling well, and Zverev spurned two match points before triumphing in the tie-break.[/p][p]Young Belgian [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/blockx-alexander/xll0TzGG/"]Blockx[/a], ranked 69th in the world, caused a shock with a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/auger-aliassime-f-CzXh4LAb/blockx-a-xll0TzGG/?mid=OtoOsbRa"]7-6 (7/3), 6-3[/a] victory over Canadian [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/auger-aliassime-felix/CzXh4LAb/"]Auger-Aliassime[/a], his first win against a top-10 player.[/p][p][b]"I had so much confidence,"[/b] he explained.[/p][p]"I didn't even think about panicking or losing my serve.[/p][p][b]"I was playing well in the rallies, too, so I knew even if I missed a few serves, I could play the rallies."[/b][/p][embed guid="7564a2c5-f8cc-4b70-84fb-122c944ae6a0" url="https://x.com/TennisTV/status/2048824886739505435" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/medvedev-daniil/O8qG0Nhb/"]Daniil Medvedev[/a], who has reached the quarter-finals in each of the last two years despite not being a fan of clay, beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/budkov-kjaer-nicolai/Gj3CGbX5/"]Nicolai Budkov Kjaer[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/budkov-kjaer-n-Gj3CGbX5/medvedev-d-O8qG0Nhb/?mid=440tFCoJ"]6-3, 6-2[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ruud-casper/zN9UpRqp/"]Casper Ruud[/a] eased to a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/davidovich-fokina-a-0zQXLfz4/ruud-c-zN9UpRqp/?mid=tU1kCiJO"]6-3, 6-1[/a] win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/davidovich-fokina-alejandro/0zQXLfz4/"]Alejandro Davidovich Fokina[/a] to reach the last 16, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tsitsipas-stefanos/hb6oWfc6/"]Stefanos Tsitsipas[/a] defeated [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/daniel-merida-aguilar/WOtXbAu5/"]Daniel Merida[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/daniel-m-a-WOtXbAu5/tsitsipas-s-hb6oWfc6/?mid=AeW7XlxR"]6-4, 6-2[/a].[/p]