Konta will return to action (Picture: Getty Images)

The Mutua Madrid Open is nearly upon us, with many of the world’s top stars descending on the Spanish capital for the WTA Premier Mandatory event.

Simona Halep is targeting a third straight title at the red clay tournament and if she defends her crown she will become the first player in history to achieve that feat here.

The Romanian opens her account against Ekaterina Makarova and is the same quarter as Karolina Pliskova, and the same half as Garbine Muguruza and Venus Williams.

Projected Madrid quarter-finals (by ranking) Halep-Pliskova

Muguruza-Venus

Garcia-Svitolina

Ostapenko-Wozniacki

On the other half of the draw, Elina Svitolina, Caroline Garcia, Jelena Ostapenko and Caroline Wozniacki are the top seeds.




Flying the flag for Great Britain is Johanna Konta, fresh from her confidence-boosting singles victories against Japan in the Fed Cup. Konta is chasing her first win in Madrid at the third time of asking, having previously suffered first-round losses to Caroline Garcia and Laura Siegemund.

Halep is targeting another title defence (Picture: Getty)

The Briton takes on Magdaléna Rybáriková in round one and is in the same quarter as Garcia and Svitolina, while five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova will take on Mihaela Buzărnescu in the same half.

Muguruza will begin against Peng Shuai, while Victoria Azarenka takes on Aleksandra Krunic.

Petra Kvitova meets Lesia Tsurenko, with Venus Williams facing a testing opener against Anett Kontaveit and Wozniacki begins against Australia’s Daria Gavrilova.

Here’s the full draw:

WTA Madrid Open draw Top half Halep v Makarova

Van Uytyanck v Mertens

Qualifier v Qualifier

Sorrides Tormo v Keys

Stephens v Qualifier

Stosur v Pavlyuchenkova

Krunic v Azarenka

Vesnina v Pliskova

Muguruza v Peng

Vekic v Garcia

Cirstea v Siniakova

Wang v Kasatkina

Kvitova v Tsurenko

Puig v Diyas

Qualifier v Sasnovich

Kontaveit v Williams Bottom half Garcia v Cibulkova

Martic v Kusnetsova

Arruarabaena v Kostyuk

Babos v Goerges

Rybarikova v Konta

Qualifier v Qualifier

Strycova v Suarez

Cornet v Svitolina

Ostapenko v Begu

Buzărnescu v Sharapova

Zhang v Osaka

Mladenovic v Vandeweghe

Sevastova v Qualifier

Bertens v Sakkari

Qualifier v Barty

Gavrilova v Wozniacki