The third was the charm for Aryna Sabalenkasince after two lost finals in the last 12 months against Iga Swiatek he was able to take revenge and win the trophy of the Madrid Masters by partials of 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in a period of two hours and 25 minutes, in a duel that caused high expectations for being the two best ranked in the world.
The Polish Swiatek started as the favorite of the tournament for occupying number 1 in the WTA ranking, but if there was someone who could compete with her, it was precisely the Belarusian Sabalenka, who has followed her pace as number 2 in the world. Both were defeating their rivals without major shocks until they met in the last match.
This was the third final between swiatek and Sabalenka since April 2022. The first was at the 2022 Stuttgart Open (WTA 500 level), the second was in that same tournament, but already in 2023 and the third was the Madrid Masters. The Pole had won the previous two, the most recent clash being just on April 23.
“I am super happy, it was a great match, a great battle. I am very happy to have this title because it has been very intense. As always, they are all tough battles against Iga, it pushes me to the limits, I hope we can play many more finals this season”, Sabalenka said on the Madrid court.
This means title number 13 in 23 finals played for the Belarusian in her career on the WTA Tour. It was the fifth in terms of Masters 1000 After having won at the Wuhan Open in 2018 and 2019, in Qatar in 2020 and in Madrid in 2021 and 2023, curiously in Spanish territory he did it by beating the current number 1 in the world: Ashleigh Barty and now Iga Swiatek.
Regarding the 2023 season, Sabalenka already has five finals and three titles, as she also won the Australian Open (her first Grand Slam title) and the 500-level Adelaide International. Her losses this year were in Indian Wells against Elena Rybakina and the aforementioned Stuttgart Open against Iga Swiatek.
The growing rivalry between Sabalenka and Swiatek led to the first final WTA 1000 between the two best players on the circuit since the number 1, the American Serena Williams, beat the number 2, the Chinese Li Na, to win the Miami Open 2014.
“Women’s tennis needs this kind of consistency to see the world number one and the two meet in the finals. It’s more enjoyable for the fans to watch and it’s more intense. I’m not saying that it’s not like that with the rest of the players, if someone reaches the final it’s that they’re in good shape, but I think that when people see these types of finals, it makes them want to see that battle. I hope we can continue doing what we are doing this season”, confirmed Aryna Sabalenka.
The defeat will not hurt Swiatek regarding his first position in the world ranking, as he will continue there with 9,625 points, of which 650 were added after his runner-up in Madrid. Second place will remain in the hands of Sabalenka with 7,881 (990 for the title in Madrid), although the gap is beginning to shorten for the Rome Masterswhere the Belarusian could steal the top from the Polish.
“I respect her a lot, she is a great player and what she did last season and continues to do is something that really motivates you to improve, to keep working hard. This year’s matches are completely different from those of the past. I have improved a lot and I really want to beat her, because she is a great tennis player,” Sabalenka highlighted about her increasingly strong rivalry with Swiatek, at least in the last 12 months.
Going into the final, the Belarusian had never taken a set from the Pole in their previous three meetings on clay, but the Madrid Masters win elevated her as the player with the best record this season, reaching 29. victories and hoping to reach his seventh final of a 1000 tournament in Rome in the next 15 days.
