Memory Lane May 6, 2020

Madrid Memories 2017: Halep's title defence, Bouchard's statement win

From Eugenie Bouchard's electric defeat of Maria Sharapova to Kristina Mladenovic's surging form and the first successful title defence of Simona Halep's career, look back on the story of the 2017 Mutua Madrid Open.

Qualifier Zheng Saisai pulled off a first-round shock, saving two match points to oust Elina Svitolina 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-3 for her fourth Top 10 win. Svitolina was fresh off the Istanbul title, and would also win Rome the following week. — 01 /22

Qualifier Zheng Saisai pulled off a first-round shock, saving two match points to oust Elina Svitolina 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-3 for her fourth Top 10 win. Svitolina was fresh off the Istanbul title, and would also win Rome the following week.

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A positive tournament for rising Chinese players also saw future World No.12 Wang Qiang, on the verge of cracking the Top 50 and making her Madrid debut, qualify and reach the third round with wins over Caroline Garcia and Zheng Saisai. — 02 /22

A positive tournament for rising Chinese players also saw future World No.12 Wang Qiang, on the verge of cracking the Top 50 and making her Madrid debut, qualify and reach the third round with wins over Caroline Garcia and Zheng Saisai.

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Misaki Doi dealt out a thrilling 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 first-round upset over No.9 seed Madison Keys - the Japanese player's sixth career Top 20 victory, and best of her career to date by ranking. — 03 /22

Misaki Doi dealt out a thrilling 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 first-round upset over No.9 seed Madison Keys - the Japanese player's sixth career Top 20 victory, and best of her career to date by ranking.

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Playing in Madrid for the last time in her career, former US Open runner-up Roberta Vinci still had enough tricks to hold off rising 19-year-old and fellow finesse merchant Daria Kasatkina in a seesaw 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 first round. — 04 /22

Playing in Madrid for the last time in her career, former US Open runner-up Roberta Vinci still had enough tricks to hold off rising 19-year-old and fellow finesse merchant Daria Kasatkina in a seesaw 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 first round.

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2009 finalist and No.10 seed Caroline Wozniacki kicked off her campaign with a 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-4 marathon win over Monica Niculescu - the longest match of this year's edition of the tournament. — 05 /22

2009 finalist and No.10 seed Caroline Wozniacki kicked off her campaign with a 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-4 marathon win over Monica Niculescu - the longest match of this year's edition of the tournament.

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Timea Bacsinszky dealt No.5 seed and reigning Roland Garros champion Garbiñe Muguruza her second first-round exit in a row 6-1, 6-3; the Swiss player would reach her second Roland Garros semifinal a month later. — 06 /22

Timea Bacsinszky dealt No.5 seed and reigning Roland Garros champion Garbiñe Muguruza her second first-round exit in a row 6-1, 6-3; the Swiss player would reach her second Roland Garros semifinal a month later.

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Anastasija Sevastova put on a claycourt clinic in the second round, taking the second Top 3 scalp of her career with a 6-3, 6-3 upset of No.2 seed Karolina Pliskova. — 07 /22

Anastasija Sevastova put on a claycourt clinic in the second round, taking the second Top 3 scalp of her career with a 6-3, 6-3 upset of No.2 seed Karolina Pliskova.

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Fresh off a run to the Stuttgart final, surging No.14 seed Kristina Mladenovic survived a late fightback from Lauren Davis to take their second-round clash 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(1). — 08 /22

Fresh off a run to the Stuttgart final, surging No.14 seed Kristina Mladenovic survived a late fightback from Lauren Davis to take their second-round clash 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(1).

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An electric second-round affair saw Eugenie Bouchard - who had been on a six-match losing streak at WTA level coming into the tournament - halt wildcard Maria Sharapova's return to the sport 7-5, 2-6, 6-4. — 09 /22

An electric second-round affair saw Eugenie Bouchard - who had been on a six-match losing streak at WTA level coming into the tournament - halt wildcard Maria Sharapova's return to the sport 7-5, 2-6, 6-4.

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Rising 20-year-old Oceane Dodin, a few weeks from cracking the Top 50, scored her first Top 10 win in the second round with a 6-2, 6-4 upset of the previous year's runner-up, No.4 seed Dominika Cibulkova. — 10 /22

Rising 20-year-old Oceane Dodin, a few weeks from cracking the Top 50, scored her first Top 10 win in the second round with a 6-2, 6-4 upset of the previous year's runner-up, No.4 seed Dominika Cibulkova.

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In the second round, defending champion Simona Halep found herself trailing Roberta Vinci 2-5 in the decider, and was two points from relinquishing her crown - but the No.3 seed roared back, taking 11 of the last 13 points for a 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(2) win. — 11 /22

In the second round, defending champion Simona Halep found herself trailing Roberta Vinci 2-5 in the decider, and was two points from relinquishing her crown - but the No.3 seed roared back, taking 11 of the last 13 points for a 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(2) win.

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CoCo Vandeweghe's clay main draw record before this week had been a mere 5-13, but the American took three-setters over Stuttgart champion Laura Siegemund and Carla Suárez Navarro to reach her first quarterfinal on the surface. — 12 /22

CoCo Vandeweghe's clay main draw record before this week had been a mere 5-13, but the American took three-setters over Stuttgart champion Laura Siegemund and Carla Suárez Navarro to reach her first quarterfinal on the surface.

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Top seed Angelique Kerber had to overcome a 3-5 final-set deficit to beat Katerina Siniakova in round two and retired down 3-6, 0-5 to Eugenie Bouchard in round three due to a thigh injury, but nonetheless retook the World No.1 ranking the following week. — 13 /22

Top seed Angelique Kerber had to overcome a 3-5 final-set deficit to beat Katerina Siniakova in round two and retired down 3-6, 0-5 to Eugenie Bouchard in round three due to a thigh injury, but nonetheless retook the World No.1 ranking the following week.

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Kiki Bertens, who had cracked the Top 20 three months earlier, defeated Irina-Camelia Begu 6-1, 7-5 to reach her first Madrid quarterfinal - part of a run of form that saw the Dutchwoman go on to reach the Rome semifinals and defend her Nurnberg title. — 14 /22

Kiki Bertens, who had cracked the Top 20 three months earlier, defeated Irina-Camelia Begu 6-1, 7-5 to reach her first Madrid quarterfinal - part of a run of form that saw the Dutchwoman go on to reach the Rome semifinals and defend her Nurnberg title.

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In the third round, Simona Halep kept her title defence quest alive with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win over No.16 seed Samantha Stosur, her second victory over the Australian that went down to the wire over in 2017 — 15 /22

In the third round, Simona Halep kept her title defence quest alive with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win over No.16 seed Samantha Stosur, her second victory over the Australian that went down to the wire over in 2017

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No.8 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova had needed to save a match point in the second round against Alison Riske, but the 2015 runner-up powered past Eugenie Bouchard 6-4, 6-0 to seal her second Madrid quarterfinal. — 16 /22

No.8 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova had needed to save a match point in the second round against Alison Riske, but the 2015 runner-up powered past Eugenie Bouchard 6-4, 6-0 to seal her second Madrid quarterfinal.

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Anastasija Sevastova was the only semifinalist to reach that stage without dropping a set, defeating Kiki Bertens 6-3, 6-3 in the quarterfinals - a run that moved the Latvian into the Top 20 for the first time. — 17 /22

Anastasija Sevastova was the only semifinalist to reach that stage without dropping a set, defeating Kiki Bertens 6-3, 6-3 in the quarterfinals - a run that moved the Latvian into the Top 20 for the first time.

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After her early-round three-setters, Simona Halep's title defence hit its stride as she dismissed CoCo Vandeweghe 6-1, 6-1 and Anastasija Sevastova 6-2, 6-3 to move into her second straight Madrid final. — 18 /22

After her early-round three-setters, Simona Halep's title defence hit its stride as she dismissed CoCo Vandeweghe 6-1, 6-1 and Anastasija Sevastova 6-2, 6-3 to move into her second straight Madrid final.

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Meanwhile, Kristina Mladenovic continued her hot streak, posting her fourth Top 10 win of 2017 over Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 7-6(4) in the semifinals to reach her second final in a row and fourth of the season. — 19 /22

Meanwhile, Kristina Mladenovic continued her hot streak, posting her fourth Top 10 win of 2017 over Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 7-6(4) in the semifinals to reach her second final in a row and fourth of the season.

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In a top-quality final, Simona Halep was two points from a straight-set win but withstood a fightback from Kristina Mladenovic to seal the first successful title defence of her career 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-2 after two hours and 44 minutes. — 20 /22

In a top-quality final, Simona Halep was two points from a straight-set win but withstood a fightback from Kristina Mladenovic to seal the first successful title defence of her career 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-2 after two hours and 44 minutes.

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Halep's 15th career title, and eighth at Premier level, bounced the Romanian back into the Top 5, while Mladenovic entered the Top 15 for the first time - and would continue her surge with a maiden Roland Garros quarterfinal the following month. — 21 /22

Halep's 15th career title, and eighth at Premier level, bounced the Romanian back into the Top 5, while Mladenovic entered the Top 15 for the first time - and would continue her surge with a maiden Roland Garros quarterfinal the following month.

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Madrid was the first of five finals Halep would reach in 2017, including Rome and Roland Garros, and was key to her ascension to World No.1 that October - but it was the only one the Romanian would win. — 22 /22

Madrid was the first of five finals Halep would reach in 2017, including Rome and Roland Garros, and was key to her ascension to World No.1 that October - but it was the only one the Romanian would win.

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