The Olympic champ and her first clay match of the season!

Zheng Qinwen is 23 years old, right-handed, Chinese, Olympic champion in Paris 2024 on the clay of Roland-Garros, with a career-high ranking of world no. 5, a record that would make any player of her generation dream. But 2026 tells a different story. Ranked 26th in the world after dropping 18 places since the start of the season, injured in 2025, deprived of matches on clay for months, she arrives in Madrid in the shoes of a player rebuilding herself. Her 52-week WTA clay record still looks solid on paper, 10–4, but those ten matches date mostly back to 2025 before her injuries. This first match of the tournament with a bye is an advantage in terms of rest but a drawback in terms of rhythm on a surface she hasn’t set foot on in a long time.

Sofia Kenin is 27 years old, right-handed, American, coached by her father Alexander Kenin since her beginnings, former world no. 1 and 2020 Australian Open champion. Her 2026 season looks poor on paper, 3–9, but 2–1 on clay, a surface where she has always managed to find resources. Madrid suits her; she reached the third round there last year, beating Potapova, and her clear win over Krueger in the first round confirms that she’s moving well. Up against a Zheng who has not played any matches on clay this season, Kenin, “at home” on her favorite surface, is not an opponent to be taken lightly.