Jaqueline Cristian, gala duel in the 3rd round in Madrid with the WTA leader, in the evening session on the Manolo Santana Court
Article by Luminița Paul – Published Friday, April 24, 2026, 9:49 p.m. / Updated Friday, April 24, 2026 10:00 p.m.
Romanian player Jaqueline Cristian (27 years old, world number 33) will play on Saturday, April 25, in the 3rd round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Madrid with Aryna Sabalenka (28 years old, WTA 1st place) in the opening of the evening session on the Manolo Santana Central Court, not before 21:00 Romanian time.
Of the four Romanian players who were on the main draw in Madrid at the start of the tournament, two advanced to the third round, Sorana Cîrstea and Jaqueline Cristian. Both are among the series leaders, 25 and 29 respectively, and are returning to this phase, which they have also reached in the past.
From now on, the opponents are up to the mark, and the first one who will have a stellar clash is Jaqueline, even against the WTA leader, Aryna Sabalenka. Given the position of its opponent, the reigning champions from Madrid, the match was scheduled at the Manolo Santana Central Court, opening the evening session on Saturday, April 25. That is, not before 20:00 local time, 21:00 Romanian time.
The two faced off recently, at Indian Wells, when the Belarusian prevailed 6-3, 6-1, but now Cristian wants to approach the match differently.
Jaqueline Cristian: “I have nothing to lose, it's a gala match”
“I have nothing to lose, I just want to enjoy the match itself more, because at Indian Wells, I honestly didn't know what to expect. Of course, you know you're playing against the world number 1, you know you expect all the balls to come back really well, like they've been handed, but I just want to be able to focus a little more on myself,” she told GSP after a hard-fought second-round win over Ukraine's Yuliia Starodubtseva with three match points saved, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4.
12,400of seats is the Manolo Santana Central Court, within the Caja Magica, inside which there are two other arenas with retractable roofs, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario and Court 3
“And to keep my emotions under control, because at the end of the day I have absolutely nothing to lose, it's a showpiece game, so to speak, where I actually have to enjoy myself and try to play as well as I can,” added Jaq.
It's a match from which I have a lot to learn, but I also have to show, at the same time. So, I'm really thinking about the next duel with joy, I'm going to prepare it better than last time and I'm going to try first and foremost to enjoy myself on the field
– Jaqueline Cristian
Aryna Sabalenka: “I hope I can deliver a superior evolution”
For her part, Aryna Sabalenka, the WTA leader, played in Madrid her first match since Miami and looked a little rusty in the duel she won with the American Peyton Stearns, 7-5, 6-3.
“I'm very happy to start with a win, although maybe the tennis wasn't that good. However, I felt, with each game played, that I am better. I hope that in the next match I can deliver a superior evolution“, she indicated in the field interview.
After the match Cristian – Sabalenka, on the Central Court, there will be the duel on the men's table between Alexander Bublik (Kazakhstan) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece).
