Third round action at the 2026 Madrid Open is underway, as there’s eight spots awaiting at the ATP 1000 event on Monday. LWOT previews the upcoming matches, with this set of predictions highlighting No. 3 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.
ATP Madrid Day 6 Predictions
Flavio Cobolli vs Adolfo Daniel Vallejo
Head-to-head: First meeting
Vallejo continued a dream week in Madrid after stunning the seeded Learner Tien in straight sets. He’s up to four ATP Tour wins on the season, in addition to his impressive 17-3 record at ATP Challenger Tour level. Cobolli, meanwhile, struggled in his second round match against Camilo Ugo Carabelli, but prevailed 6-4 in the third. The Italian is a steady all-court player, and he should be the more consistent player on the day.
Prediction: Cobolli in 2
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Daniel Merida Aguilar
Head-to-head: First meeting
A couple more wins in Madrid could hugely benefit Tsitsipas’ case, as the Greek is still well outside his Top 10 status. A second round 6-2 7-5 win over Alexander Bublik was just his second Top 10 win since the spring of 2024. Merida Aguilar is facing a career-changing week in Madrid, stunning Corentin Moutet. The Spaniard will benefit from the home crowd, and the mental back-and-forth could rattle Tsitsipas. However, the Greek has gone deep in this tournament before, and I trust that his consistency will push him over the finish line.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 3
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs Casper Ruud
Head-to-head: 3-3
While this is the pair’s seventh meeting and third meeting on clay, the home crowd in Spain will make this matchup perhaps their most enticing. Davidovich Fokina holds a rather disappointing 7-7 record at this home tournament, and unlike fellow compatriots, he doesn’t always bring his best tennis on the dirt. As the defending champion, Ruud will have a lot of pressure on his shoulders in this matchup, but he’s looked ominous thus far; he demolished home-favorite Jaume Munar 6-0 6-1 in his opener. With this match taking place early in the day session, it could be even harder for the Spanish faithful to rattle the Norwegian.
Prediction: Ruud in 2
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Alexander Blockx
Head-to-head: First meeting
It’s a bit striking to see the No. 3 seed next to Auger-Aliassime’s name, but with withdrawals plaguing the tournament, this is a huge opportunity for the Canadian to build some points. He looked strong in his opening match against Vilius Gaubas, though in this third round matchup, opponent Blockx has quickly jumped on to the top of the tennis scene; he’s acquired three Top 50 wins in the month of April alone. Auger-Aliassime’s powerful serve might be too much on Monday, but this tournament has showcased a nice array of upsets thus far. Expecting this to go the distance.
Prediction: Auger-Aliassime in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
