Ukrainian-Japanese doubles pair Nadiia Kichenok and Makoto Ninomiya suffered a straight-sets defeat in the first round of the Mutua Madrid Open, losing 7-5, 7-6(2) to top-seeded Olympic gold medalists Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini of Italy.
The match, played on clay courts in Madrid, Spain, lasted one hour and 45 minutes and marked the eighth time Kichenok and Ninomiya have teamed up on the WTA Tour this season. Despite their recent success — including titles at the Hamburg and Prague WTA 250 events last year — the duo could not overcome the experience and precision of the Italian pair, who are the reigning champions from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Errani and Paolini, seeded first in the women’s doubles draw, broke serve in the ninth game of the opening set to take a 5-4 lead before closing it out 7-5. The second set proved more competitive, with both teams holding serve until a tiebreak was required. The Italians dominated the breaker, winning seven points to two to secure the match.
According to tournament records, the Mutua Madrid Open is a WTA 1000 event held annually in Madrid, featuring a total prize pool of $8,235,540. The competition runs from April 21 to May 3 on the red clay of the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.
This loss means Kichenok and Ninomiya will not advance to the second round in Madrid. Their recent form had shown promise, having won two WTA titles together in 2024 and reaching the third round at the Australian Open earlier in 2025 before falling to the eighth-seeded pair of Ellen Perez and Demi Schuurs.
Meanwhile, Errani and Paolini advanced to face the winner of the match between Laura Siegmund and Vera Zvonareva versus Iba Yovictoria and Victoria Mboko in the second round. The Italian duo remain among the favorites to defend their Madrid title, having won the event in 2023 and carrying momentum from their Olympic triumph.
For Kichenok and Ninomiya, the focus now shifts to upcoming clay-court events in Europe as they appear to build consistency ahead of the French Open. The pair, who have represented Japan and Ukraine respectively in international competition, will aim to regroup and refine their doubles chemistry in the weeks ahead.
Their Madrid Open exit serves as a reminder of the high level of competition at the WTA 1000 tier, where even seasoned teams must perform at their peak to advance past the opening rounds. As the clay season progresses, both pairs will continue to pursue their respective goals on the tour.
What’s next for Kichenok and Ninomiya? The duo is expected to compete in the WTA 250 event in Rabat, Morocco, beginning May 5, followed by the WTA 500 in Rome the week after. Their next confirmed checkpoint is the Morocco Open, where they will seek to regain form on red clay ahead of Roland Garros.
Stay updated with Archysport for the latest developments in women’s tennis as the European clay-court swing unfolds.
