Alexander Zverev secured his opening victory at the 2026 Mutua Madrid Open despite a mid-match lapse, defeating Mariano Navone 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to advance to the third round. The second-seeded German improved his record to 9-0 in opening matches at the clay ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid.
Zverev, who is chasing a third Madrid title, dropped serve twice in the second set but regained his composure to secure a one-hour, 43-minute victory. The match took place on Saturday afternoon at the Caja Magica in Madrid, Spain.
After dominating the first set, Zverev lost focus in the second set, allowing Navone to break back and level the match. However, the German responded strongly in the deciding set, breaking early and maintaining his lead to clinch the win.
Speaking after the match, Zverev acknowledged his lapse in concentration: “First set was almost perfect, and then I lost focus completely,” he said. “Then the second set, it was terrible, but that’s what happens sometimes in the first match of a tournament. Definitely, I could have focused a bit better, but the level was there. The first set and third set was great tennis, and I just have to focus on that.”
According to Infosys ATP Stats, Zverev converted four of eight break points he earned during the match and is now 19-0 for the season in matches where he has won the first set. He reached the semi-finals in five of the six tournaments he played before Madrid and is third in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin behind only Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
Zverev’s victory sets up a third-round clash with Frenchman Terence Atmane, who advanced by defeating Ugo Humbert in the second round. The match is scheduled to take place in the coming days at the Mutua Madrid Open.
Meanwhile, German compatriot Yannick Hanfmann was eliminated in the second round, losing to Francisco Cerundolo 1-6, 5-7. Jan-Lennard Struff also fell in the second round to Alex Michelsen, leaving Zverev as the sole remaining German man in the singles competition. No German women remain in the tournament.
Zverev is considered one of the top title contenders at the Madrid Open alongside Jannik Sinner, with his chances bolstered by the withdrawals of defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic due to injury. Alcaraz is also expected to miss the French Open due to a wrist injury.
The Mutua Madrid Open continues with Zverev aiming to add to his previous titles from 2018 and 2021 as he pursues a historic third championship at the event.
Stay tuned for updates on Zverev’s progress in the Madrid Open and share your thoughts on his performance against Navone.
