The Mutua Madrid Open main draw was revealed on Sunday, signaling the start of the WTA 1000 clay-court season.
Nearly all of the world`s top female players are participating, with 29 of the Top 30 seeded, except for Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova due to injury.
Main draw matches begin on Tuesday, April 22nd. Seeded players will have a first-round bye and commence play on Thursday, April 24th.
Draw Highlights Breakdown
First Quarter
Top seeds: [1] Aryna Sabalenka, [8] Zheng Qinwen, [9] Paula Badosa, [15] Amanda Anisimova
Notable first rounds: Emma Raducanu vs. Suzan Lamens; Veronika Kudermetova vs. Polina Kudermetova
Aryna Sabalenka, a two-time Madrid champion and recent Stuttgart finalist, leads this quarter. She will play a qualifier in the second round and potentially Amanda Anisimova in the Round of 16. Anisimova has a 5-2 head-to-head advantage over Sabalenka and won the Doha WTA 1000 title earlier this year.
Paula Badosa, seeded No. 9, is also in this quarter, but her participation is uncertain due to a lower back injury. If she plays, she will face either Veronika or Polina Kudermetova in the second round, who are playing their first WTA match against each other in the first round.
Zheng Qinwen, seeded eighth, is positioned at the bottom of this quarter. Her recent clay performance includes an Olympic gold medal at Roland Garros.
Second Quarter
Top seeds: [3] Jessica Pegula, [6] Jasmine Paolini, [10] Elena Rybakina, [14] Daria Kasatkina, [17] Elina Svitolina
Notable first rounds: Victoria Azarenka vs. Olga Danilovic; McCartney Kessler vs. Bianca Andreescu
Jessica Pegula, ranked No. 3, heads this quarter and will face either Eva Lys or a qualifier in the second round. A rematch of the 2022 Madrid final against Ons Jabeur is possible in this section. Pegula has the most tour-level wins this year (26) but was recently defeated in Stuttgart by Ekaterina Alexandrova, a potential Round of 16 opponent in Madrid.
Jasmine Paolini (No. 6) and Elena Rybakina (No. 10) could meet in the Round of 16 in this quarter. Elina Svitolina, seeded 17th and fresh off a win in Rouen, is also a contender here. Victoria Azarenka will play Olga Danilovic in an intriguing first-round match in this section.
Third Quarter
Top seeds: [4] Coco Gauff, [7] Mirra Andreeva, [12] Karolina Muchova, [16] Beatriz Haddad Maia
Mirra Andreeva, seeded No. 7, leads this quarter. She aims for her third WTA 1000 title of the year after wins in Dubai and Indian Wells. Madrid is where Andreeva had her breakthrough two years ago, reaching the Round of 16 as a wildcard. She will play either Renata Zarazua or Marie Bouzkova in the second round.
Coco Gauff, ranked No. 4, is positioned at the bottom of this quarter and faces potentially challenging opponents such as Clara Tauson and Belinda Bencic.
Fourth Quarter
Top seeds: [2] Iga Swiatek, [5] Madison Keys, [11] Emma Navarro, [13] Diana Shnaider
Notable first rounds: Naomi Osaka vs. Lucia Bronzetti; Katie Volynets vs. Petra Kvitova
Defending champion and world No. 2 Iga Swiatek is placed in the bottom quarter of the draw. Last year, she won her first Madrid title against Sabalenka. Swiatek may face Alexandra Eala in the second round, a player who recently defeated her in Miami. Eala must first overcome Viktoriya Tomova. Jelena Ostapenko, who recently beat Swiatek in Stuttgart and holds a 6-0 head-to-head record against her, is a potential Round of 16 opponent.
Petra Kvitova, a three-time Madrid champion, is also in this quarter and seeks her first win since returning from maternity leave. She will face Katie Volynets in the first round. Madison Keys, seeded fifth and this year`s Grand Slam champion, could potentially face Naomi Osaka in the second round, provided Osaka wins her first-round match against Lucia Bronzetti.
