World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka won her third Madrid Open title on Saturday, defeating American star Coco Gauff 6-3, 7-6 (3). This victory brings her level with Petra Kvitova for the most Madrid Open victories, and it is the Belarusian player’s 20th career triumph.
Sabalenka’s dominance on the tour this year has continued to astonish. She has now made four consecutive finals and leads the WTA Tour with 31 match victories in 2024. Her new victory strengthens her position at the top of the international standings.
Gauff, ranked World No. 3, had the opportunity to surpass Iga Świątek and move into the No. 2 spot. Despite a great performance in the second set, she was unable to win. Sabalenka began quickly, scoring 17 consecutive points and cruised through the first set with strong groundstrokes.
Gauff broke early in the second set and served for the match at 5-4. In a spectacular exchange, Sabalenka lost control of her racket while pursuing a shot, briefly opening the door for Gauff. However, Sabalenka recovered, broke back, and forced a tiebreak.
Sabalenka dominated the tiebreak with strong shotmaking and mental toughness, securing the championship in style.
