Swiatek and Sabalenka Fight for the Madrid Title Again

The WTA Madrid women's singles title will be contested again by Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka. This is the 2023 final replay.

AP/MANU FERNANDEZ

Polish tennis player Iga Swiatek faced American tennis player Madison Keys in the semifinals of the WTA 1000 Madrid at Manolo Santana Stadium, La Caja Magica, Madrid, Spain on Thursday (May 2, 2024) afternoon local time. Swiatek won with a score of 6-1, 6-3. Swiatek will face Aryna Sabalenka in the final round on Saturday (May 4, 2024).

MADRID, THURSDAY-Two best women's singles players, Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka, will fight for the title of WTA 1000 Madrid tournament champion. This is a repeat of the final of the same tournament in 2023 when Sabalenka became champion.

Swiatek, the top-ranked player in the world, secured her spot in the final after beating Madison Keys in the semifinals. In the match at Manolo Santana Stadium, La Caja Magica, Madrid, Spain on Thursday (May 2, 2024) afternoon local time, Swiatek won with a score of 6-1, 6-3 after playing for one hour and 10 minutes.

Good win, I played solid. I am satisfied with this performance.

The Pole's opponent for the final was confirmed at midnight after Sabalenka beat Elena Rybakina 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5). Sabalenka won in a match that lasted one hour and 17 minutes longer than the match won by Swiatek.

Also read: Finding How to Stop Swiatek

Swiatek and Sabalenka's journey in five matches towards the final was different. Swiatek won two sets in four matches, while Sabalenka only won once in two sets.

AFP/THOMAS COEX

Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka hit the ball towards Kazakhstan's tennis player Elena Rybakina in the semi-final match of the WTA 1000 Madrid at Manolo Santana Stadium, La Caja Magica, Madrid, Spain, Friday (3/5/2024) morning WIB. Sabalenka defeated Elena Rybakina, 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5). Sabalenka will compete against Iga Swiatek in the final on Saturday (4/5/2024).

“It was a good win, I played solidly. "I am satisfied with the performance," commented Swiatek.

Although Swiatek is more solid in playing on clay courts, such as at the Manolo Santana Stadium, she still cannot underestimate Sabalenka. The tennis player, who is ranked second in the world, always manages to come out from under pressure, especially when playing in Madrid. She bounced back after losing the first set against Rybakina, as well as when playing against Danielle Collins in the fourth round.

Sabalenka stated that the key to her victory over Rybakina was when she was able to improve her poor serve in the first set. When her serve was better in the second and third set, she played more comfortably, although it cannot be said it was easy to defeat Rybakina who has already won three championship titles in 2024.

Also read: "Swiatek Storm" in Madrid

Rybakina, Sabalenka, and Swiatek have created competition at the top level of the women's singles sector since 2022. The matches that bring two of them up against each other always proceed tightly, even when played over two sets.

The competition between Sabalenka and Rybakina before their meeting in Madrid, for example, has already occurred nine times. Sabalenka holds a lead of 6-3, but three of Rybakina's victories were obtained in the last four meetings.

AFP/THOMAS COEX

The expression of Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka after defeating Kazakhstani tennis player Elena Rybakina in the WTA 1000 Madrid semifinals at Manolo Santana Stadium, La Caja Magica, Madrid, Spain, on Friday (5/3/2024) morning WIB. Sabalenka defeated Elena Rybakina, 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5). Sabalenka will face Iga Swiatek in the final on Saturday (5/4/2024).

On the other hand, Sabalenka trailed 3-6 against Swiatek but won in their last meeting which took place in the final of Madrid 2023. At that time, Sabalenka won with a score of 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

The rematch between Sabalenka and Swiatek in the WTA Madrid final, which will take place on Saturday, will be their first meeting in 2024. Swiatek said she is not thinking about what will happen in Madrid in 2023, but is happy to have the opportunity to play in the final against a top world player.

First time champion

From the men's singles competition at the same venue in the ATP Masters 1000 tournament, three of the four semifinalists have the opportunity to win the tournament on clay for the first time. They are Felix Auger-Aliassime who will fight Jiri Lehecka and Taylor Fritz. The only person who has ever won a clay tournament is Andrey Rublev, who will be Fritz's opponent in the semifinals on Friday.

Also read: Happy and sad about Nadal in Madrid

Rublev has won five titles from the slow-character court, including one from the ATP Masters 1000 level in Monte Carlo in 2023. He advanced to the semifinals after defeating the Madrid Masters champion of the last two years, Carlos Alcaraz, while Fritz won against Francisco Cerundolo.

AFP/THOMAS COEX

Canadian tennis player Felix Auger-Aliassime hits the ball towards Norwegian tennis player Casper Ruud during a round of 16 match at the ATP 1000 Masters Madrid tournament at Arantxa Sanchez Stadium, Caja Magica, Madrid, on Tuesday (30/4/2024). Aliassime advanced to the semifinals and will face Jiri Lehecka on Saturday (4/5/2024).

Auger-Aliassime and Lehecka got similar wins to get semifinal tickets, namely because their opponents were injured. Auger-Aliassime won without a contest over top seed Jannik Sinner, who had a hip injury. Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev, who was Lehecka's opponent, withdrew after losing 4-6 in the first set. Medvedev has a thigh injury which makes it difficult for him to move to the right.

Also read: Alcaraz's Adaptation for Madrid Masters Winner's "Hat Trick"

"Of course, this is not the desired way to win a match. It's not easy to see your opponent withdraw due to injury. However, I still have to focus on myself," said Lehecka, who defeated Rafael Nadal in the fourth round.

Lehecka, ranked 31st in the world, and Auger-Aliassime (35) became semifinalists with the lowest ranking. Their positions are below Rublev, who is ranked eighth in the world, and Fritz at 13th position. However, all four of them have one thing in common: they are making their first appearance in the Madrid Masters semifinals. (AP/AFP)