Aryna Sabalenka Rules Madrid Once Again – Third Title Seals Her Status as Player To Beat at Roland Garros

Aryna Sabalenka has once again proven herself untouchable on the red clay of Madrid. With a commanding 6-3, 7-6(3) victory over Coco Gauff, the world No. 1 clinched her third Madrid Open title, equaling Petra Kvitová’s all-time record at the tournament and adding another layer to an already glittering season.

The triumph marks Sabalenka’s second consecutive WTA 1000 title, and her fourth straight win over a Top 10 opponent in the Spanish capital. It also underscores a staggering statistic: in her last five appearances at the Madrid Open, Sabalenka has posted a 23-2 record, including three titles and two runner-up finishes. Few venues in the tennis world resonate so strongly with one player’s dominance.

Ruthless Opening, Measured Response

The final began with Gauff misfiring—an early double fault and a string of unforced errors allowed Sabalenka to pounce. What followed was nothing short of breathtaking: 17 consecutive points won by the Belarusian, who raced to a 4-1 lead with a blistering combination of flat hitting and tactical depth. Every short ball was punished, every opening exploited. It wasn’t merely that Gauff was erratic—it was that Sabalenka made every rally feel like a survival test.

To her credit, Gauff dug in. She broke Sabalenka’s rhythm briefly, managing to get the score back to 3-4 with a spirited hold. But the world No. 4 couldn’t sustain the resistance. Sabalenka closed out the set 6-3, backed by an imposing 75% first-serve percentage, winning 72% of those points. Gauff, meanwhile, won just half of her first-serve points and landed only 53% of them.

Gauff’s Surge and Sabalenka’s Answer

The second set brought a new narrative—at least for a time. Gauff came out firing, winning eight straight points and leaping to a 3-1 lead. The American saved break points with gutsy serving and moved ahead 5-3, threatening to force a decider. Yet the steadiness never quite held.

At 5-4, another double fault—her fifth of the match—signaled danger. Down 0-40, Gauff saved multiple break points in an epic game but couldn’t keep Sabalenka out forever. The world No. 1 broke back and held for 6-5, then earned a match point on the Gauff serve—only to squander it. The set would be decided in a tiebreak.

There, Sabalenka soared.

The first three points she won in the tiebreak were vintage Sabalenka: sharp angles, unplayable depth, and effortless power. Gauff clawed her way back to 3-3 as Sabalenka faltered momentarily on serve, but the Belarusian shifted gears again. Two booming serves, a punishing forehand, and finally, at 6-3, a Gauff double fault handed her the title.

Eyes on Paris

With this victory, Sabalenka has added more than just another trophy to her cabinet—she’s sent a message. The clay-court form she’s displaying, combined with her improved patience and variety, makes her a serious threat at Roland Garros.

“Iga Swiatek might not agree,” the article could quip, “and Coco Gauff certainly won’t surrender without a fight—but the path to the 2025 French Open title may well run through Aryna Sabalenka.”

She now stands not only as the Reina de Madrid, but also the woman to beat on clay this season. And with Paris looming, the rest of the field has been warned.

Sabalenka vs Gauff – Match Stats