The biggest stars in the women’s game are back in the Caja Magica, determined to put on a show. With a range of players who have consolidated their place at the top the sport, the flavour of the fortnight will again be the variety of styles on display on the Mutua Madrid Open clay. No active player has successfully defended the women’s title in the Spanish capital, largely thanks to the ferocious competitiveness that can be seen in the Manolo Santana Stadium season after season. After 2024’s tournament entertained like few before it, the women’s talent is returning to Madrid with all the ingredients necessary to keep the fans glued to the edge of their seats.
Unique talent Iga Świątek will be the player charged with defending the WTA 1000 crown. The Pole, who saved a match point in last year’s final, already knows what is required to lift the cup. At 23 years of age, the four-time French Open champion has established herself as the player to beat on clay and has earned herself a genuine opportunity to define an era on the surface. Nobody has been as consistent as her on the red stuff in recent years and Madrid will have the chance to delight at her prowess once again. Having reached the title bout at the last two editions of the event, Iga is now bidding to follow in the footsteps of Serena Williams (2012-13) and Simona Halep (2016-17) with a successful title defence in Madrid.
Hoping to stop her in her tracks will be Aryna Sabalenka, her opponent in the last two Madrid deciders. The 2021 and 2023 champion has made her mark in the Caja Mágica more than any other player in recent years. With three finals in the last four seasons, Aryna has adapted her game perfectly to the altitude of Madrid, making herself an almost unstoppable force. Her intimidating power, clear improvements to her mobility, and a strong enough mind to deal with whatever is thrown at her have made an athlete with winning in her DNA even more imposing than ever. Capable of destroying almost anyone on hard court, one of the biggest hitters in the locker room finds an ally in the conditions of the Spanish capital. When it comes to fast matches, few are better prepared than Sabalenka. Her greatness can be summed up with one fact; she will be bidding for her third crown in Madrid, which would match the event’s all-time record.
A determined Gauff
Closely on the heels of that dominant duo will be Coco Gauff, who has always been mature beyond her years. Perhaps Madrid has not been her most productive tournament to date, the third round being her best finish, but it should not be forgotten that she reached the doubles final in 2023 alongside her compatriot Jessica Pegula. Her growth on the tour in recent seasons is also beyond doubt.
It has always taken a big name to see off the current champion of the WTA Finals in the Caja Mágica (Pliskova, Badosa, Halep, Keys) and respect for her in the locker room has been booming. One of the most agile players on the women’s tour, the Atlanta native knows how to adapt her game to the fast conditions she will encounter in Madrid. If she manages to find her A-game in the Spanish capital, she will surely have a significant chance of going further than ever before. The former French Open finalist is looking to make her mark on the clay, and she has a score to settle in Madrid.
On the list of players that enjoy rapid matches, Madison Keys would be somewhere near the top. The American is currently enjoying something of a hot streak, starting the season with her first major trophy at the Australian Open. She has one of the most fearsome serves in the sport and her instinct for the game is beyond reproach. Last season she fired a loud warning shot by sinking two Top 10 players en route to the semi-finals in the Caja Magica, where only Swiatek was able to derail her. Determined to go one step further, Madrid is circled in red on the calendar of a player who is used to the big stage. A genuine threat anywhere in the draw.
Badosa leads the home charge
Those big names will have to keep their eyes on an optimistic Paula Badosa, who has consolidated herself as the flag-bearer for the home players at the Mutua Madrid Open. Her semi-final run in the 2021 is still the best performance of a Spanish woman in the history of the event, and a reminder of the kind of tennis she can play when she is on her game. For a competitor of her ambition, the opportunity to fight for the title and write another story for the annals in Madrid could not be more motivating. At 27 years of age, the Spaniard is looking back to her best and has returned to the Top 10 this season. Always hungry, Paula has already had a taste of a Grand Slam semi-final in 2025. Now close to contending for the biggest trophies on tour, the Caja Magica awaits her with the most special prize of them all; rewarding her fans with something unforgettable.
Jessica Bouzas and Cristina Bucsa, who will also enjoy the unanimous support of the fans, guarantee there will be plenty for them to cheer about in the Caja Magica.
And much more…
On an increasingly competitive women’s tour, there will be plenty of names looking to plant their flag under the floodlights of the Manolo Santana Stadium. China’s Qinwen Zheng, the current Olympic champion on clay, has been working on her maturity in the biggest matches on tour. The Italian Jasmine Paolini, last year’s French Open runner-up, is a familiar character to the best in the locker room. Kazakh player Elena Rybakina is still the best equipped woman to topple any opponent at a tournament where conditions are fast. US player Jessica Pegula, an example of consistency, already has experience from the 2022 final. Young gun Mirra Andreeva, the youngest player ever to win a WTA 1000, already proved her worth in the Spanish capital with a stellar debut two years ago, when she was just a teenager.
The best talent in women’s tennis is coming to Madrid in force. The WTA has quite a tournament in store for us all!
