Anastasija Sevastova`s journey back to professional tennis after maternity leave has been challenging, marked by periods of bad luck.
The former World No. 11 from Latvia welcomed her daughter Alexandra in December 2022. She first returned to the circuit in November the following year, ending a 22-month break. Sevastova showed promising form initially, reaching the quarterfinals in her first four events (two WTA 125 tournaments in late 2023, followed by Cluj-Napoca and Austin in early 2024). However, her comeback was unfortunately interrupted by an ACL injury sustained at the last of these events, seemingly ending her return prematurely.
After another 14-month absence, Sevastova resumed her career once more, this time unranked. She participated in an ITF W75 tournament in Koper, Slovenia, last week, reaching the second round. Her return to the main WTA Tour at the Mutua Madrid Open presented another hurdle: drawing Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the opening round. Pavlyuchenkova had historically dominated their encounters, winning all eight meetings between 2010 and 2021 and dropping only two sets against Sevastova during that time.
Despite this challenging history, it was the 35-year-old mother, Sevastova (a Madrid semifinalist in 2017, while Pavlyuchenkova was a semifinalist in 2021), who managed to secure a victory in two tightly contested sets. Sevastova`s distinctive drop shot, often deployed unexpectedly from defensive positions, was particularly effective, though Pavlyuchenkova also showcased her own skill with the stroke. The match featured numerous lengthy games, including a four-deuce hold for Sevastova in the opening game and a break achieved after seven deuces in the second set. Pavlyuchenkova won the longest battle, saving eight break points across 12 deuces to level the second set at 2-2, but Sevastova ultimately prevailed, sealing her win with a well-executed lob.
Sevastova is scheduled to face fellow Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, the World No. 23 and recent Stuttgart champion, in the next round. This will be a cross-generational matchup between the two. Sevastova has won both of their previous encounters, the most recent being in Stuttgart in 2019.Bencic Advances on Daughter`s Birthday, Kvitova Eliminated by Volynets
The day brought contrasting results for two other prominent players returning to the tour after becoming mothers. Belinda Bencic had a memorable occasion, celebrating her daughter Bella`s first birthday with a decisive 6-0, 6-2 victory over Turkish qualifier Zeynep Sonmez in just one hour. Bencic, who returned from maternity leave last October, has quickly found form, already winning a title in Abu Dhabi in February and achieving a ranking of World No. 42. Her next opponent will be No. 20 seed Clara Tauson.
Conversely, three-time Madrid champion Petra Kvitova was unable to replicate her past success in the Spanish capital. She was defeated by Katie Volynets with a score of 6-4, 6-0. Kvitova initially took a commanding 4-1 lead in the first set but then lost the subsequent 11 games consecutively. Kvitova returned from maternity leave in February and is currently seeking her first win since, holding an 0-4 record. Volynets advances to the next round to play No. 13 seed Diana Shnaider.
