Sunday 7 May 2023

Sabalenka wins Madrid Open

Final day in Madrid.

2023 Mutua Madrid Open, a WTA 1000 tournament, on Clay, in Madrid, Spain, 25 April - 7 May 2023.

2022 champion (not defending):
Ons Jabeur (8) who defeated Jessica Pegula (12) 7-5 0-6 6-2

Final:

Iga Swiatek (1) (Poland) v Aryna Sabalenka (2) (Belarus)

This would be the second final these two players had contested this year, following Swiatek’s win in Stuttgart last month.

Swiatek saved two break points in the sixth game of the opening set, but was broken in the eighth game.
Sabalenka led 5-3 and then served out the set 6-3, finishing with an ace and an effective backhand.

Swiatek led 3-0 in set two, after breaking the Sabalenka serve in the second game.
Sabalenka broke back in the fifth game, converting her fourth break point.

Swiatek saved two break points in the seventh game before holding serve, then broke Sabalenka in the next game, closing with a winning return.
The top seed served out the set 6-3 to level the match.

In the decider, Sabalenka broke serve in game two, then saved two break points before consolidating for 3-0.
Swiatek broke back to love in the fifth game, but Sabalenka achieved another break in the eighth game with a forehand cross court winner for a 5-3 lead.

Serving for the match, Sabalenka saved one break point, then saw three match points disappear.
A fourth match point was converted with a powerful forehand, and Aryna Sabalenka won the day 6-3 3-6 6-3.

This was title number thirteen for Sabalenka, her third for 2023, and second Madrid Open, following her success in the 2021 final over then world number one Ash Barty.

No comments:

Post a Comment