As the wheels start turning at the Mutua Madrid Open, to talk of Aryna Sabalenka is to talk of today’s most dominant player. The world number one arrives in the Caja Magica with some intimidating stats under her belt so far in 2026. Having played 24 matches so far this season, she has picked up no fewer than 23 wins, three titles and a single defeat at the Australian Open. Since then, and in reality for many months, her consistency has been frightening; since August she has reached the semifinals of every tournament she has entered.
On Monday in Madrid her current state of grace was lauded with yet another major recognition. Sabalenka received the Laureus Award for the best sportswoman of last year, an accolade that puts her on an even higher pedestal, and she was visibly emotional as she accepted it. “It means a lot”, she explained. “It’s crazy to think my name will be alongside previous winners. I’m lost for words, super honoured and proud”.
While she is now the undisputed queen of the tour, Madrid has long been under her rule. Over the last five years, Sabalenka has made the Mutua Madrid Open one of her favourite stomping grounds. She has racked up three titles, played in four finals, and is defending her crown this year. The three-time champion has reached every final in the Spanish capital since 2023 and won 85% of her matches in the Caja Magica. Few players have built such a solid and recognisable relationship with this venue in such a short time. Three titles and hungry for more. That’s Aryna.
When the player herself explained the recipe for her success in the Spanish capital, she didn’t talk about altitude, or conditions, or tactics. She spoke about feelings. About her connection with the people. About the atmosphere. “I feel the crowd really connects with me here and supports me so much”, she said. “I’m always excited to come back to Madrid to feel the atmosphere in the stadium”. She then finished off her list of ingredients with a smile; the support from the stands and the food. Sometimes, great stories are built on apparently simple things.
However, this time around, Sabalenka’s routine is a little different. Usually used to competing the week before, this year she decided to skip Stuttgart. She admitted it hurt not to be there, but also explained that the schedule and the accumulation of matches meant she needed to listen to her body. “The ideal plan is to open up the schedule a bit, stay healthy and be better prepared to play my best tennis at every tournament”, she said. “This season my body has been a bit off and I’ve needed time to recover and do what’s right”.
It’s a message that fits with a Sabalenka who is more mature, more aware of her needs, and also more open to the process, as she explained this when talking about the technical changes she has made to her game. The world number one admitted that changing well-established habits is not easy, because it means living with uncertainty and even accepting that, before improving, things can get worse. But she also made it clear that this is one of the keys to her evolution; spotting weaknesses, daring to address them, and not getting comfortable with success. Swiatek also mentioned something similar on Monday: “In modern tennis, you either evolve or stand still”.
Madrid is once again welcoming a champion in at the peak of her powers, the current title holder and a player who has made the Caja Magica one of her favourite career venues. She arrives with a shiny new Laureus Award, the best record of the season, and the sense that, once again, the tournament will largely be decided by her racket.
If there is one queen at this point of this season, she’s in Madrid, and she’s been acting like it’s one of her favourite playgrounds for some time. Make no mistake, she’s hungry for more and will be aiming to lift her fourth crown in Spain in 2026