Top-seeds Sabalenka and Zverev advance in Madrid. Defending men's champion Rublev upset by Bublik

MADRID (AP) — Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka rallied to defeat former doubles partner Elise Mertens in three sets and advance to the last 16 of the Madrid Open on Sunday.

Top-seeded Alexander Zverev scraped past Alejandro Davidovich Fokina after requiring tiebreakers in the final two sets of their match, while defending men's champion Andrey Rublev lost in three sets to Alexander Bublik.

Sabalenka got off to a poor start against the 26th-ranked Mertens, but picked up the pace to comfortably close out the match at the Caja Magica center court.

The two-time champion in Madrid won 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 to keep alive her hopes of reaching the final for the third straight time. Sabalenka won the title in the Spanish capital in 2021 and 2023, and finished runner-up to Iga Swiatek last year.

“I think it’s one of those days where I didn’t feel my best and I got super emotional in that beginning of the first set and put myself in a tough situation," Sabalenka said. "I’m really happy that I was able to bring such a high level in the second and the third set, especially against someone like Elise, if you give her any chance, she’s going to be there fighting and putting you under pressure, so really happy with the way I turned around this game.”

It was Sabalenka's ninth consecutive victory over Mertens, her doubles partner while winning the 2019 U.S. Open and 2021 Australian Open. Sabalenka had won 14 consecutive sets against the Belgian.

“She’s such a great player, it doesn’t matter the score between us, it’s always a great battle," Sabalenka said.

Sabalenka will next face either Rebeka Masarova or Peyton Stearns.

Zverev struggled early but recovered to fend off a gritty performance by local favorite Davidovich Fokina in the third round. The second-ranked German needed tiebreakers to outlast the Spaniard 2-6, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (0).

Zverev, seeking his third Madrid Open title, has won seven matches in a row and is coming off a title-run in Munich.

“The first set wasn’t my best tennis but it is sport and it can change quickly,” Zverev said. “I was down a set and a break and I had to fight. I am very happy with the win. Alejandro is playing unbelievable tennis, the best of his life, so I am happy to be through.”

Zverev will face either Francisco Cerundolo or Francisco Comesaña.

Defending champion Rublev was eliminated after a 6-4, 0-6, 6-4 loss to Bublik.

It was the 10th top-10 win for the 75th-ranked Bublik, who made it to the fourth round in Madrid for the fourth time.

Rublev did not have to play in the previous round because Gael Monfils withdrew with an illness.

The eighth-ranked Rublev beat Felix Auger-Aliassime in last year's final in the Spanish capital.

Bublik will next face Ben Shelton or Miami champion Jakub Mensik in the round of 16.

Brandon Nakashima got past Flavio Cobolli to reach the fourth round of a Master 1000 tournament for the fifth time. The 32nd-ranked American will next meet either Daniil Medvedev or Juan Manuel Cerundolo.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus returns the ball to Elise Mertens of Belgium during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus returns the ball to Elise Mertens of Belgium during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates after her victory over Elise Mertens of Belgium during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus eyes the ball as she plays a shot against Elise Mertens of Belgium during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Elise Mertens of Belgium serves against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Elise Mertens of Belgium returns the ball to Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates after her victory over Elise Mertens of Belgium during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates after her victory over Elise Mertens of Belgium during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

A Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and wounded three others in the Russian city of Voronezh, local officials said Sunday.

A young woman died overnight in a hospital intensive care unit after debris from a drone fell on a house during the attack on Saturday, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said on Telegram.

Three other people were wounded and more than 10 apartment buildings, private houses and a high school were damaged, he said, adding that air defenses shot down 17 drones over Voronezh. The city is home to just over 1 million people and lies some 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

The attack came the day after Russia bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight into Friday, killing at least four people in the capital Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.

For only the second time in the nearly four-year war, Russia used a powerful new hypersonic missile that struck western Ukraine in a clear warning to Kyiv and NATO.

The intense barrage and the launch of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile followed reports of major progress in talks between Ukraine and its allies on how to defend the country from further aggression by Moscow if a U.S.-led peace deal is struck.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday in his nightly address that Ukrainian negotiators “continue to communicate with the American side.”

Chief negotiator Rustem Umerov was in contact with U.S. partners Saturday, he said.

Separately, Ukraine’s General Staff said Russia targeted Ukraine with 154 drones overnight into Sunday and 125 were shot down.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

This photo provided by the Ukrainian Security Service on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, shows a fragment believed to be a part of a Russian Oreshnik intermediate range hypersonic ballistic missile that hit the Lviv region. (Ukrainian Security Service via AP)

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second left, listens to British Defense Secretary John Healey during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Danylo Antoniuk)