Czech tennis star Marie Bouzkova produced a shot of the year contender during her round of 16 match against Ekaterina Alexandrova at the Madrid Open. Bouzkova lost the match in a three-set thriller but produced an extraordinary passing shot early in the opening set. 

What happened? 

With Bouzkova serving at 1-3 down and facing break-point, the 23-year-produced an extraordinary winner that stunned both the crowd and commentators. 

After Alexandrova slammed a backhand return cross-court, Bouzkova was forced outside the doubles lines and barely managed to return the ball.

The Russian then smashed a forehand into the opposite corner, leaving Bouzkova scrambling and with a near-impossible chance of winning the rally. 

Bouzkova lunged at full strength and somehow managed to not only return the ball but find the edge of the chalk. The shock on both her face and her opponent’s said it all. 

‘Shot of the year’ contender? 

Understandably, people were quick to react to Bouzkova’s incredible shot. 

“You are kidding me, how did she do that?” one commentator said. 

“The shot of the year,” he added. 

Fans on social media echoed this same thought. 

One wrote: “If this doesn’t end up on the top three shots of the year, I’m going to throw a fit. Holy cow that was amazing! 

Another said: “No but seriously, it’s the point of the year… I can’t stop watching it back and back. Give her the award.” 

A third added: “The best winner you will see this year.” 

Bouzkova, herself, even commented on a clip of the shot on Twitter. “Can’t believe it,” she wrote. 

Alexandrova marches on 

Despite Bouzkova’s heroics, it was Alexandrova who eventually won the match. The Russian needed five match points to seal victory but has now set up a quarter-final clash with Amanda Animisova. 

Elsewhere, Simona Halep also reached the quarter-finals with a dominant win over Coco Gauff. The Romanian, who won the French Open in 2018, thrashed the teenager 6-4 6-4 and will play Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur in the last eight. 

Britain’s Emma Raducanu is also in the hunt for her first clay-court title. The teenager faces Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina in the last 16 on Tuesday.