Pablo Carreño Busta has advanced to the Madrid Open second round after beating Marton Fucsovics in three sets.
Carreño Busta proved too strong for his Hungarian opponent, winning the contest 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 at the Caja Mágica.
The Spaniard, a former US Open semi-finalist, is in the twilight of his tennis career. Yet, he remains a player who can secure victories at the biggest events on Tour.
However, the Spaniard has endured significant struggles at the Madrid Open throughout his tennis career.
Pablo Carreño Busta has won his first Madrid Open match since 2016
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Carreno Busta’s victory over Marton Fucsovics represents the first occasion that the Spaniard has won a match at the Masters 1000 event since 2016.
Remarkably, the former top 10 player has lost six consecutive Madrid Open first-round matches before beating Fucsovics on Thursday.
In fact, before today, Carreño Busta had only won one match at the Madrid Open in his entire career.
That victory occurred at the 2016 event: the Spaniard defeated Grigor Dimitrov [pictured below] 7-6, 6-3.
That year, Carreño Busta went on to lose in the second round to Frenchman Gilles Simon.
Since 2016, the Spaniard has lost to the likes of Benoit Paire, Reilly Opelka and Federico Delbonis in the Spanish capital.
Last year, the former Canadian Open champion was defeated in Madrid Open first round by Portuguese player Nuno Borges.
Pablo Carreno Busta’s record in Madrid
- 2014 – lost in the first round to Marius Copil
- 2016 – lost in the second round to Gilles Simon after beating Grigor Dimitrov
- 2017 – lost in the first round to Benoit Paire
- 2018 – lost in the first round to Borna Coric
- 2019 – lost in the first round to Reilly Opelka
- 2021 – lost in the first round to Federico Delbonis
- 2022 – lost in the first round to Botic van de Zandschulp
- 2025 – lost in the first round to Nuno Borges
- 2026 – defeated Marton Fucsovics in the first round
Pablo Carreno Busta’s second round opponent in Madrid
Pablo Carreño Busta will play compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the Madrid Open second round.
The pair have never played each other before on the ATP Tour.
Fokina [pictured below], the 20th seed in Madrid, received a bye through to the second round.
The winner of Fokina and Carreño Busta will play Jaume Munar or defending Madrid Open champion Casper Ruud in the third round.
Last year, Fokina reached the Madrid Open third round after beating Nuno Borges 6-2, 6-3. The Spaniard was then defeated by Alexander Zverev, 6-2, 6-7, 6-7.
