World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka secured her third Madrid Open title on Saturday, defeating Coco Gauff 6–3, 7–6(3) in a compelling final at the Caja Mágica. This victory marks her 20th career WTA Tour title and 9th at the WTA 1000 level.
A commanding performance
Sabalenka began the match with characteristic aggression, quickly taking a 4-1 lead in the first set by twice taking the American’s serve. Despite a brief resurgence from Gauff, the Belarusian kept her composure to break again and close out the set 6-3. The second set saw Gauff raise her game, leading 5-3 at one point. On her serve at 5-4, she even had a set point but finally gave in, letting Sabalenka convert a fifth chance to come back to 5-5. On her next serve, Gauff had to battle hard to erase a match point and force a tiebreak. The world No. 1 managed the next crucial moments perfectly, making 4 mini-breaks to Gauff’s 2 and finally winning the tiebreak 7-6(3) on the American’s 8th double fault.
Historic milestones
With this triumph, Sabalenka equals Petra Kvitová’s record of three Madrid Open titles, becoming only the second woman to achieve this feat since the tournament’s inception in 2009. Additionally, she becomes the first player since Serena Williams in 2013 to win both the Miami and Madrid titles in the same season.
Sabalenka’s 2025 season has been remarkable, featuring 6 final appearances in 8 tournaments, with titles in Brisbane, Miami, and now Madrid. Her consistent performance has solidified her position atop the WTA rankings, extending her lead over Iga Świątek (4,000 points).
Mutual respect
Post-match, both players expressed mutual admiration. Sabalenka praised Gauff’s resilience and acknowledged the competitive nature of their encounters, which now stand at an even 5–5 in head-to-head matchups. Sabalenka aims to maintain her formidable form as the clay season progresses, with the Rome Open and Roland Garros on the horizon. Her recent performances make her a formidable candidate for the next Grand Slam tournament in Paris. For Gauff, the final of the Madrid Open represents an important milestone, having never managed to reach the final stages at Cajá Magica.
Next up on the calendar for Aryna Sabalenka and the rest of the WTA elite is the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome, a pivotal stop on the road to Roland-Garros. Held on the red clay of the Foro Italico, the Italian Open will offer another key test for the world No. 1 as she looks to maintain her momentum and fine-tune her game ahead of the season’s second Grand Slam. With confidence high after her triumph in Madrid, all eyes will be on Sabalenka to see if she can extend her dominance in the Eternal City.