Thursday in Madrid got off to a quick start with Muguruza, Bacsinszky and Begu emerging as early winners on Pietrangeli, Grandstand and Court One — René Denfeld recaps the victories of the first quarterfinalists at the Foro Italico and what they had to say after their wins.
On a day packed with third-round matches, it was women's turn to serve first, with third seed Garbine Muguruza taking on Jelena Ostapenko on Court Pietrangeli, Daria Kasatkina facing Irina-Camelia Begu on Court 1 and Timea Bacsinszky playing against Carla Suarez Navarro on Grandstand.