One, two, three… all the way to 25. Because Aryna Sabalenka now has 25 wins under her belt at the Mutua Madrid Open. A quarter of a century.

The hot favourite for the title in the Caja Magica took down Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday to reach the milestone in the Spanish capital. The three-time champion now lies third on the list of all-time winners, only behind two Mutua Madrid Open legends: the Czech Petra Kvitova, with 32, and the Romanian Simona Halep, with 30.

“I raised my level compared to my first match and I’m very happy about it. Now I hope to keep improving for the next round”, said the world number one courtside at the Manolo Santana Stadium. “When you focus on yourself, when you concentrate on what you have to do, things eventually fall into place. I’m really pleased with the consistency I’m showing and with how everything is coming together”.

“It’s not easy for Madrid to be my first clay-court tournament of the season. You have to get used to the conditions, and they’re not straightforward. I’m finding my rhythm, I’m finding my game”, Sabalenka added.

The world number one is currently enjoying an astonishing run of form; this year she has played 26 matches and lost just one, the final of the Australian Open. She has now notched up 14 consecutive victories at Indian Wells, Miami and Madrid, and her streak does not look like coming to an end any time soon. Her next opponent, in the last sixteen of the Mutua Madrid Open will be the Japanese Naomi Osaka.

“Every time I step on court, I give my all. It’s unbelievable to have won so many matches at this stage of the season. I work hard for it, and knowing how much effort I put in, maybe I could imagine it happening, but even so, it seems crazy to me”.

Yet again this year, Sabalenka is proving that nobody can match her in the Caja Magica, a venue she currently reigns with unrivalled authority. In 2026 she also has an added goal in Madrid; to become the first woman in the history of the event to claim the title four times.