Nobody has found it easy to keep their hands on the Mutua Madrid Open crown. In the women’s competition, only two players have managed to win the event in two consecutive years: Serena Williams (2012-13) and Simona Halep (2016-17). Since then, a successful title defence in the Spanish capital has proved something of a mission impossible.

Of all the players who will be in Madrid this season, the name of Iga Swiatek stands head and shoulders above the rest. Absent last year through a shoulder injury, the surface’s dominant force is one of the hot favourites, alongside recent tournament champions Ons Jabeur and Aryna Sabalenka.

Paula Badosa assumes the role of home favourite, while other names such as the 19-year-old Coco Gauff, the ever-dangerous Maria Sakkari, and three-time winner Petra Kvitova will be sure to steal some of the limelight at an edition that promises to be nothing short of breath-taking.

Iga Swiatek
Titles on clay: 5
Titles at  the MMOPEN: –
Best WTA Ranking: No. 1

At 21 years of age, Iga Swiatek looks destined to define an era on the women’s tour, but her story on the Madrid clay is yet to be written. She has only played in the tournament once, losing to Ashleigh Barty in the last sixteen in 2021. At this point of her young career, the Mutua Madrid Open is the only big clay title she has yet to put her name to.

Petra Kvitova
Titles on clay: 5
Titles at  the MMOPEN: 3
Best WTA Ranking: No. 2

Petra Kvitova’s long career is synonymous with success, and she has 29 titles under her belt to prove it. Of them, only five were earned on clay, and most of those come from the Mutua Madrid Open. She has three titles (2011, 2015 and 2018) from the Spanish capital. Her triple crown makes her the woman to have triumphed the most in the Manolo Santana Stadium. She is a strong contender every season.

Aryna Sabalenka
Titles on clay: 1
Titles at  the MMOPEN: 1
Best WTA Ranking: No. 2

The Mutua Madrid Open is the first title —and the only one as of the start of this season— she has won on clay since claiming her first trophy in 2018. In 2021 she opened her account on the slowest surface after a memorable final, beating then world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty. This year, she is back in the Caja Mágica, now a Grand Slam champion after her 2023 Australian Open triumph. 

Ons Jabeur
Titles on clay: 1
Titles at  the MMOPEN: 1
Best WTA Ranking: No. 2

It could be said that Ons Jabeur’s trophy cabinet is not a true reflection of the quality of her game. The 28-year-old Tunisian has just three titles to her name, the jewel in the crown being the Mutua Madrid Open. This year she is back to try and become the first woman to successfully defend her title since 2017. 

Paula Badosa
Titles on clay: 1
Titles at  the MMOPEN: –
Best WTA Ranking: No. 2

Paula Badosa will be the centre of the home fans’ attention. As well as playing at home and enjoying the unconditional support of the crowds, she has already proven her mettle in the Caja Mágica. In 2021, she went further than any other Spanish woman before her by reaching the semi-finals, surpassing the previous records of Carla Suárez and Anabel Medina (quarter-finals).

Coco Gauff
Titles on clay: 1
Titles at  the MMOPEN: –
Best WTA Ranking: No. 4

In her still fledgling career, she has only had the chance to play in the Mutua Madrid Open twice, reaching the last sixteen in 2022. It proved to be the perfect preparation for reaching her first Grand Slam final, a few weeks later at Roland Garros. The American, who has already picked up a title in 2023, is a strong candidate for the title.

Elena Rybakina
Titles on clay: 1
Titles at  the MMOPEN: –
Best WTA Ranking: No. 7

She has only played two Mutua Madrid Opens, with a match record of 3-2. Her best result came last season, when she reached the last sixteen, but she has since strengthened her credentials, winning a Grand Slam (Wimbledon 2022) and a WTA 1000 (Indian Wells 2023). Her rise in recent months make her a player to watch in the Caja Mágica.

Caroline Garcia
Titles on clay: 3
Titles at  the MMOPEN: –
Best WTA Ranking: No. 4

This season she has reached the highest ranking of her career, breaking into the Top 4 for the first time. Caroline Garcia is now a more mature and experienced player, with huge potential to put in a big performance at the Mutua Madrid Open. Her best result in the Spanish capital came in 2018, when she reached the semi-finals. She cannot be discounted.