Aryna Sabalenka is now just one match away from equalling Petra Kvitova with three titles at the Mutua Madrid Open. On Thursday she defeated Elina Svitolina to secure her passage to Saturday’s final against Coco Gauff. 6-3, 7-5 against the Ukrainian, who was powerless against Sabalenka’s barrage. The triple crown is just one step away.
Sabalenka enjoys herself in Madrid, of that there is no doubt. The world number one relishes her every minute in the Manolo Santana Stadium. It is not without good reason Saturday will be her fourth final in the Spanish capital. In the last match of the day she put on a masterclass of efficiency and reliability. She did not have her A-game with her, but she did not need it. The match was tense, balanced even, but she always had an extra gear when she needed it. Svitolina tried to ground out a path to her first final in Madrid, but Sabalenka was not having any of it.
The only moment when the three-time Grand Slam champion stumbled was on her first opportunity to close out the match. With a 5-4 lead in set two, her forehand faltered and she dropped her serve. However, last year’s runner-up was able to gather herself and win the next two games. It has been a joy to watch Aryna implement the drop shot in recent weeks, she has never been a great exponent of the weapon, but this fortnight she has been putting on a clinic.
Aryna is in the midst of a huge year. She has won all six semifinals she has played, as well as stringing together seven consecutive victorious WTA 1000 semis. She is a tough nut to crack. Her loss in the Australian Open is the only blemish in a season in which nobody has won more matches than her (30).
The only remaining obstacle is the world number four. Coco Gauff will be doing everything in her power to stop her opponent from claiming a Madrid hattrick. The American player leads their head-to-head 5-4. They are yet to play this year, with their last clash coming in the semis of the WTA Finals, when Coco was victorious. The last time they crossed swords on clay was four seasons back, when Gauff also came out on top (Rome 2021). Get your popcorn ready, we’re in for quite the final on Saturday.
