Claiming a title is never easy. Even less so in the WTA 1000 category that graces the Mutua Madrid Open. The draw at a tournament such as the one held in the Spanish capital includes all of the best players in the world and to end the fortnight with trophy in hand requires one exquisite performance after another against the biggest names on tour.
In the fifteen editions that have been held in the Caja Mágica only four women have managed to don the crown on more than one occasion, and just two have successfully defended their title the following year. Petra Kvitova is the undisputed queen of this select multiple winners club having conquered Madrid no fewer than three times (2011, 2015, 2018).
PETRA KVITOVA
Nobody has racked up more Mutua Madrid Open titles in the women’s competition than Petra Kvitova. 20% of all the WTA tournaments decided in the Manolo Santana Stadium have been won by her. After two discreet appearances in 2009 (second round) and 2010 (first round after coming through qualies), she arrived in Madrid in 2011 as the world No. 18. That season she enjoyed a dream run, seeing off three Top 10 players (No. 3 Zvonareva, No. 5 Azarenka and No. 6 Li Na) to claim her first crown. It was one of six titles she put her name to that season.
In 2014, she came close to another final, losing in the semis to Simona Halep, but it was the following year when she claimed her second trophy in the Caja Mágica. This time she was an established member of the Top 10 and defeated world number one Serena Williams 6-2, 6-3 in the semifinals. The Czech had to dig deep to progress through the first two rounds against Olga Govortsova and Coco Vandeweghe, losing a set to each, but she would not drop another all week. In the title bout, she steamrolled her way to a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Three years later, in 2017, she became the first WTA player to claim a hat-trick of titles on the Madrid clay. In her previous campaign she had reached 20 wins in Madrid, but her tournament was brought to an abrupt end in the last sixteen against Daria Saville (then Gavrilova). But that season, she was playing like she meant business against Lesia Tsurenko in her opener, before Monica Puig was on the receiving end of her venom. Petra had to dig deep in the quarterfinals against Annet Kontaveit, coming back from a set behind, before eventually taking the spoils in one of the toughest deciders the Mutua Madrid Open has seen, against Kiki Bertens. Kvitova’s record at the tournament now stands at 32-9.
SERENA WILLIAMS
The American legend’s first appearance in the Caja Mágica in 2009 did not go to plan. Playing as the second seed, she opened against Francesca Schiavone, but she was unable to finish the match, withdrawing when the Italian had a 6-4 lead. One year later, she was back as hot favourite, but her campaign ended in the third round against Nadia Petrova after three sets.
After two outings in which she failed to produce her best tennis, the US star was back in 2012 to compete in the iconic edition on blue clay. Playing as the 9th seed, she only dropped a handful of games in a dominant performance against Vesnina (6-3, 6-1), Pavlyuchenkova (6-2, 6-1), Sharapova (6-1, 6-3), Hradecka (7-6[5], 6-0) and Azarenka (6-1, 6-3). Only Wozniacki was able to push her in the third round (1-6, 6-3, 6-2). Serena had her first title in Madrid.
One season later, back on the classic red clay, she returned to become the first player to defend a Mutua Madrid Open title. As the world No. 1, she delivered on her position as top seed. Williams advanced to the quarters without dropping a set against Putintseva, Lourdes Domínguez and Maria Kirilenko. However, in the last eight Anabel Medina almost sprung a surprise (6-3, 0-6, 7-5). From there it was plain sailing as Serena took down Errani (7-5, 6-2) and Sharapova (6-1, 6-4) to produce a stunning 12-0 record in two years.
SIMONA HALEP
The Romanian may not be able to boast of being the player with the most titles in the history of the event, but she has reached more finals than anyone else. Her name has been synonymous with the Mutua Madrid Open since she reached the last round in 2014 at 22 years of age. Before then she had a 0-3 record, but a brilliant campaign took her all the way to the decider, where she bowed out to Sharapova in three sets (1-6, 6-2, 6-3).
She would have to wait until 2016 to celebrate her first title after a sublime campaign. Only her compatriot Irina-Camelia Begu was able to take a set from her, in the quarterfinals (6-3, 0-6, 6-1). For the rest of the event she was in cruise control, sinking Misaki Doi (6-0, 6-3), Karin Knapp (6-1, 6-1), Timea Bacsinszky (6-2, 6-3), Samantha Stosur (6-2, 6-0) and Dominika Cibulkova (6-2, 6-4).
In 2017, she followed in the footsteps of the younger Williams sister, becoming only the second WTA player to defend her title in Madrid. This time she was asked plenty of questions along the way, but eventually lifted her second trophy from three finals by defeating Kristina Mladenovic (7-5, 6-7[5], 6-2). The Romanian extended her streak to 15 wins, but was unable to pick up her third consecutive crown in 2018. She came close again in 2019, but Kiki Bertens upset her in the final, 6-4, 6-4.
ARYNA SABALENKA
She has been the dominant force of the Mutua Madrid Open in recent years, winning two of the last three editions. To earn her membership in the multiple winners’ club, she has come out on top of 12 of the 13 matches she has played in the Caja Mágica since 2021. Her first two campaigns ended without a win in 2018 (came through qualifying, but lost to Bernarda Pera in R1) and 2019 (lost to Kuznetsova in R1), she would have to wait until 2021 to celebrate her first ‘W’.
Sabalenka defeated Zvonareva, Daria Kasatkina and Jessica Pegula to reach the quarters without dropping a set. There, she crossed paths with Elise Mertens, who was forced to retire with any injury, allowing her opponent to progress and dispatch Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the semis. Finally, world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty was her victim in the decider, 6-0, 3-6, 6-4. Aryna had her first crown.
In 2022, her defence ended in her opener against Amanda Anisimova. However, she was back one year later and ready to take her vengeance with another six wins to earn herself a second title on the Spanish clay. She won the decider in style, beating the best player in the WTA Ranking, Iga Swiatek, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
