A day after celebrating her 25th birthday, Aryna Sabalenka won the Mutua Madrid Open with a 6-3 3-6 6-3 victory over Iga Swiatek in the final, avenging the recent defeat in the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix title match. This is the Belarusian’s second triumph in Madrid, as she also clinched the title in 2021.
From 3-3, the second-seeded Sabalenka won three straight games to take the first set in 42 minutes, having earlier been 0-6 against Swiatek in sets on clay.
In the second set, Sabalenka’s missed first serves provided an opportunity for Swiatek to gain a foothold and earn her first break point of the match. With a well-placed, lunging return that landed inside the sideline, the top seed managed to force Sabalenka into a forehand error that resulted in a netted shot.
Sabalenka hit a stunning backhand winner, which allowed her to get back on serve and even the score in the second set at 3-3, but Swiatek went on to win three straight games to take the set, going 2/2 on break points compared to Sabalenka’s 2/10.
In the decider, Swiatek recovered from 0-3 to 3-3 by breaking Sabalenka’s serve at love, but the Belarusian didn’t let the victory slip away and converted her fourth match point to become the fourth woman to win multiple Madrid Open titles.
Playing her 23rd career final and sixth on clay, Sabalenka won her 13th career title. She has registered a Tour-leading 29 wins in 2023.
