Madrid Open 2023: Aryna Sabalenka edges Iga Swiatek to regain women's crown
Australian Open champion Sabalenka came through a thrilling final to claim her third title of the year.
Tennis
Aryna Sabalenka upset Iga Swiatek 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to regain her Madrid Open title on Saturday (6 May).
Swiatek had dropped just five games in her previous two matches in the Spanish capital, but the reigning Australian Open champion was always likely to provide a stiffer test.
And so it proved with Sabalenka's powerful ball-striking reaping rewards in Madrid's thin air.
After the Pole had looked more comfortable on serve at the start, she had to save two break points in the sixth game as the 2021 winner found her range.
In the eighth game, the second seed converted her second break point to go into a 5-3 lead. And she served out with ease to take the first set.
Swiatek broke to lead 2-0 at the start of the second but Sabalenka was soon back to her forceful best and, after squandering three break points in the fifth game, converted the fourth to make it 2-3.
The pressure was on the world number one and her opponent was on the charge. Sabalenka held serve before creating two more break points but Swiatek bravely saved both in what was turning into an enthralling encounter.
And with the top seed raising her level, Sabalenka faltered in the eighth game. She served poorly and a Swiatek forehand down the line return winner saw her break to lead 5-3 before serving out to level the match.
Despite that setback, Sabalenka came out firing at the start of the decider and made the early break before saving two break-back points for 3-0 with Swiatek fighting hard and becoming visibly agitated at not being able to take control.
But Sabalenka could not sustain her form and her serve let her down in the fifth game with a double fault, her third of the match, handing Swiatek a vital break.
Again, the underdog managed to put that mishap behind her and produced yet more awesome hitting to break for a 5-3 lead.
Swiatek was not done yet, and she saved three match points before Sabalenka finally closed out victory in two hours and 27 minutes to avenge her defeat in last month's Stuttgart final and add to her triumphs this year in Adelaide and at the Australian Open.
The players now head to Rome for the second clay-court WTA 1000 tournament of 2023 year with Swiatek defending her title in more conventional conditions.