Best Madrid hot shots: Watch around-the-net stunner & more! | ATP Tour

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Best Madrid hot shots: Watch around-the-net stunner & more!

Featuring home favourite Jodar, Shelton & doubles magic from Paul

April 26, 2026

The Mutua Madrid Open offers unique conditions within the context of the European clay season, with the relatively high altitude of the Spanish capital contributing to plenty of fast-paced, exhilarating tennis on the ‘red dirt’.

So how have the world’s finest players been capitalising on the quick conditions at the ATP Masters 1000 event? From swivel forehands to reflex volleys and around-the-net-post magic, ATPTour.com rounds up the best Hot Shots so far from the 2026 Mutua Madrid Open.

Tommy Paul helped usher in the start of the men’s doubles event in Madrid with a stunning piece of instinct-based play on Sunday afternoon. Competing alongside his fellow American Ethan Quinn, Paul left both his partner and his opponents Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic scratching their heads by pulling off a remarkable around-the-net-post winner.

Jiri Lehecka had not one, not two, but three attempts at breaking through Alejandro Tabilo after the Chilean advanced to the net when set point down in the pair’s second-round clash on Friday. Tabilo kept himself in the point by repelling Lehecka’s first two passing shots and then had the crowd on its feet with a remarkable point-winning reflex volley on the third.

Ben Shelton has a habit of keeping the in-stadium energy high during his matches and the American certainly did that while saving a break point against Dino Prizmic on Friday. Shelton responded to his opponent’s rasping forehand with a half-volley dropper to leave his opponent in visible disbelief.

Daniel Merida came back from the brink to notch his first main-draw win at his hometown tournament, where he saved the first of two match points against Marco Trungelliti with a forehand struck from so far wide that he was nearly out of range for the TV camera. Argentine Trungelliti could only stand and applaud, and Merida went on to secure an emotional victory.

Yannick Hanfmann followed a cat-and-mouse exchange at the net with Marcos Giron by producing one of the more unlikely winners of Day 2 in Madrid. The German met Giron’s smash with a perfectly angled backhand slice to clinch the point.

The sight of #NextGenATP star Rafael Jodar slamming forehand winners quickly became a familiar one to fans this year in Madrid. The 19-year-old produced a typically clean example of his trademark shot, only this time on the turn, en route to defeating Jesper de Jong for his first win at his hometown Masters 1000.