Play begins on Sunday in Rome as the 2016 Italian Open kicks off with Americans involved throughout the field. Two of those Americans will get underway in the singles tournaments on the first day of the tournament. In the men’s singles matches we’ll see Steve Johnson take on Juan Monaco of Argentina and Sam Querrey take on Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain. Neither of the Americans, nor their opponents, are seeded. The men’s and women’s qualifying is still wrapping up on Sunday as well so most of those draws will get underway on Monday.

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Mutua Madrid Open Recap

The Mutua Madrid Open came to a sudden end for the US on Friday as all the Americans playing in the event were knocked out of the competition. Louisa Chirico missed out on the chance for a shocking final appearance when she lost 1-6, 1-6 in under an hour to Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia. Far from a shocking result and in the end a tournament that might propel Chirico into her prime years to compete internationally.

In women’s doubles Vania King/Alla Kudryavtseva (Russia) were also swept, and badly, 2-6, 0-6 by #1 Martina Hingis of Switzerland and Sania Mirza of India in the semifinals on Friday. Also failing to win a set was #8 Jack Sock/Vasek Pospisil (Canada) who lost 3-6, 4-6 to#4 Ivan Dodig (Croatia) and Marcelo Melo (Brazil). #5 Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan did take one set, but that was all, in a 6-3, 6-7, 8-10 loss to#1 French duo Pierre-Hughes Herbert and Nicolas Mahut. With a tiebreaker loss in set two and a tight third set super-tie break the Bryans were really close to advancing.

High level competition continues over the next week as things move to Rome for the Italian Open, a Masters 1000 event for the men and a Premier event for the women. Matches begin on Monday.

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The magic ride in Madrid got even more stunning on Thursday as Louisa Chirico swept Daria Gavrilova of Australia in the quarterfinals 7-6, 6-2. The 19-year-old who is having a career best tournament will now face Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia in the semifinals on Friday. She couldn’t be having this boost of confidence at a better time with the French Open at the end of the month where she will probably need to battle through the qualifiers to take part in the main event.

On the men’s side Sam Querrey was eliminated by #5 Rafael Nadal of Spain 6-4, 6-2, no real surprise there, while Jack Sock lost to Joao Sousa of Portugal 1-6, 7-6, 2-6. Both men’s doubles teams won in tiebreakers. #5 Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan defeated the Polish team of Lukasz Kubot and Marcin Matkowski 7-5, 2-6, 10-8. #8 Sock/Vasek Pospisil (Canada) defeated Treat Huey of the Philipines and Max Mirnyi of Belarus with a little less stress in the tiebreaker, 4-6, 7-6, 10-4.

The women’s doubles team of Vania King/Alla Kudryavtseva (Russia) reached the semifinals after a 2-6, 6-4, 11-9 win over #4 Hao-Ching Chan and Yung-Jan Chan of Chinese Taipei. They will face #1 Martina Hingis of Switzerland and Sania Mirza of India in the semifinals on Friday.

In addition to the two women’s semifinals the Bryan brothers will take on #1 French duo Pierre-Hughes Herbert and Nicolas Mahut while Sock/Pospisil (Canada) take on #4 Ivan Dodig (Croatia) and Marcelo Melo (Brazil).

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Obviously it was a big break for qualifier Louisa Chirico when her third round opponent, #4 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, was forced to withdraw from the Madrid Open with a back injury and Chirico automatically advanced to the quarterfinals. But for the 19-year old who has never won a grand slam match and who just won her first WTA Tour match last year it won’t matter why the chance to play in a WTA Premier Mandatory quarterfinal will be special.

Chirico won’t be joined by any Americans in the women’s quarterfinals after both Christina McHale and Madison Keys were knocked out in the third round. Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania came from behind to defeat McHale 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 while qualifier Patricia Mia Tig of Romania took out her second young American of the tournament when she defeated Keys in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.

On the men’s side Sam Querrey advanced 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 against qualifier Lucas Pouille of France and Jack Sock only needed two sets to defeat Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina 6-4, 7-6. Qualifier Denis Kudla had the much tougher draw but held up well forcing #9 David Ferrer of Spain to a third set before losing 4-6, 6-4, 4-6. In men’s doubles action Rajeev Ram/Raven Klaasen (South Africa) put up a great fight against#4 Ivan Dodig of Croatia and Marcelo Melo of Brazil but did drop it in a tight tiebreaker 5-7, 6-3, 10-8.

Thursday the women’s doubles team of Vania King/Alla Kudryavtseva (Russia) will have their quarterfinal match against #4 Hao-Ching Chan and Yung-Jan Chan of Chinese Taipei. Joining them on the doubles court in their first match of the tournament are #5 seed Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan who will face the Polish team of Lukasz Kubot and Marcin Matkowski. Sock will also get onto the doubles court joining Vasek Pospisil of Canada to form the #8 seeded doubles team and take on Treat Huey of the Philipines and Max Mirnyi of Belarus.

In singles action Querrey takes on #5 Rafael Nadal of Spain in a difficult third round match while Chirico is in the quarterfinals taking on Daria Gavrilova of Australia. Those are two pretty big opportunities for the Americans.

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Things will really get moving at the Mutua Madrid Open starting on Wednesday but Tuesday was the fourth straight day featuring opening round matches. Those have mostly gone well for the Americans and that continued as both Jack Sock and qualifier Denis Kudla advanced in three sets. Sock fell behind earlier against Benoit Paire of France but fought back for a 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 win while Kudla and Ivo Karlovic of Croatia played three sets to the tiebreaker. Kudla lost the first but won the next two to advance after a match where almost nothing separated the two players.

In men’s doubles action Rajeev Ram/Raven Klaasen (South Africa) needed the tiebreaker to advance over Spaniards Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez 6-4, 6-7, 10-5. Sam Querrey and Steve Johnson were swept out 4-6, 2-6 by Pablo Cuervas (Uruguay) and Marcel Granollers (Spain).

On the women’s side Vania King/Alla Kudryavtseva (Russia) had a walkover against #7 Garbine Muguruza and Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain while Raquel Atawo and Abigail Spears lost in a tiebreaker to #8 Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina of Russia 7-6, 4-6, 5-10.

Wednesday brings some interesting matchups. Qualifier Louisa Chirico already has one big upset in this tournament but now will try to get an even bigger one when she faces #4 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus. Christina McHale takes on Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania and Madison Keys takes on Patricia Mia Tig of Romania, the qualifier who upset Sloane Stephens on Monday.

On the men’s side Querrey will be facing qualifier Lucas Pouille of France while Sock has a fun matchup with Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina. Qualifier Kudla faces the toughest test of the day against #9 David Ferrer of Spain.

In doubles action Ram/Klaasen (South Africa) will be facing #4 Ivan Dodig of Croatia and Marcelo Melo of Brazil.

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The American story at the Mutua Madrid Open is quickly becoming Louisa Chirico. The qualifier who has never been ranked in the world top 75 pulled off a big upset on Monday overcoming a dropped first set to stun #14 Ana Ivanovic of Serbia 5-7, 6-1, 6-3. Chirico will not get a break in the next round though as she faces #4 Victoria Azarenka.

Chirico wasn’t the only American to pull off the upset on Monday as Christina McHale upset #13 Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in straight sets 7-6, 6-4. Madison Keys made it three Americans in the third round after sweeping Barbora Strycova, also of the Czech Republic, by matching 6-3 scores.

On the men’s side Sam Querrey needed all three sets to dispatch qualifier Pierre-Hughes Herbert of France in a really tight match 6-7, 7-6, 6-4. Over in the women’s doubles competition Vania King/Alla Kudryavtseva (Russia) swept Julia Goerges of Georgia and Pliskova 6-4, 6-2 to advance to the second round. The only blemish on the American record Monday was #16 Sloane Stephens who suffered a disappointing 2-6, 3-6 loss to qualifier Patricia Mia Tig of Romania.

Most of the Americans who were in action today will get a break on Tuesday with a couple of exceptions. Querrey joins with Steve Johnson for doubles action as they take on Pablo Cuervas (Uruguay) and Marcel Granollers (Spain) while King/Kudryavtseva (Russia) will be challenged by #7 Garbine Muguruza and Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain.

Rounding out first round action in women’s doubles for the US will be the team of Raquel Atawo and Abigail Spears against #8 Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina of Russia. Jack Sock and Denis Kudla both will begin their competitions in the men’s singles event as Sock takes on Benoit Paire of France and Kudla faces Ivo Karlovic of Croatia. Rajeev Ram will also be in action, but partnered with South African Raven Klaasen in doubles play against Spaniards Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez. 

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Two more American women moved into the second round in Madrid on Sunday. Madison Keys started off with a tough 1-6 first set loss to Alison Riske but was able to regain her footing and fight back for 6-3 and 6-4 wins to win the American tussle. Becoming the fourth American in the second round was a bit of a surprise, qualifier Louisa Chirico. Chirico faced a tough first set but pulled away in the second defeating Monica Niculsecu of Romania 7-5, 6-1.

Not advancing from the first round in women’s singles action was Coco Vandeweghe who faced tough competition and lost 6-7, 1-6 to #11 Lucia Safarova of the Czech Republic. Steve Johnson was knocked out of the men’s event after losing a tough match 6-3, 3-6, 6-7 to Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine.

On Monday Chirico will face a tough task as she takes on #14 Ana Ivanovic of Serbia while Christina McHale gets back to action in the second round against #13 Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic. Keys is also facing a Czech opponent, Barbora Strycova. #16 Sloane Stephens also returns to action against qualifier Patricia Mia Tig of Romania. Sam Querrey will get into the competition in the men’s singles event against qualifier Pierre-Hughes Herbert of France. Finally in the women’s doubles competition Vania King will team with Russian Alla Kudryavtseva to take on Julia Goerges of Georgia and Pliskova.

Previous Mutua Madrid Open Coverage:
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Day 1 Update

The first round of the Mutua Madrid Open got underway Saturday with two Americans advancing on the first day. #16 Sloane Stephens dropped her first set to Teliana Pereira of Brazil 3-6 but rallied in the next two sets to win 6-3 and 6-2. Christina McHale had a bit easier time with a 6-0, 6-4 win over Anna-Lena Friedsam of Germany. In doubles action Coco Vandeweghe/Anna-Lena Groenefeld (Germany) were swept in two close sets 6-4, 7-5 by #5 Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic of France.

The US men will join the action on Sunday as Steve Johnson takes on Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine . In women’s singles there is an all-American matchup as Madison Keys and Alison Riske face off. Vandeweghe will also be back in action as she starts her women’s singles competition against #11 Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic. The final US woman to get started in the singles event is Louisa Chirico who will be taking on Monica Niculsecu of Romania.

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