World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka claimed her third Madrid Open title on Saturday with a commanding 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) win over American Coco Gauff in a high-intensity final at the Caja Mágica, MySportDab Reports.
The Belarusian, last year’s runner-up, delivered a powerful performance to seal her 31st career win on Madrid clay—more than any other player on the WTA Tour.
Adding the WTA 1000 title to her 2024 Brisbane and Miami victories, Sabalenka continues a stellar season, having now reached six finals already this year.
Sabalenka dominated the opening set, winning 17 consecutive points after Gauff held in the first game. Breaks in the third and fifth games gave her a 4-1 lead, and despite a brief fightback from Gauff, the top seed closed out the set in just 35 minutes.
The second set saw a renewed Gauff, who changed her serving patterns and broke for a 3-1 advantage. But Sabalenka rallied, applying constant pressure. At 5-4, Gauff twice double faulted while serving for the set, squandering her chance to level the match.
Sabalenka finally broke on her fifth opportunity and later edged the tie-break after Gauff again double faulted on championship point. The victory brought their head-to-head to 5-5 and matched Petra Kvitova’s record of three women’s titles in Madrid.
“I’m always so excited to play in front of you, and I’m super happy to win this year,” Sabalenka told the crowd, expressing confidence she and Gauff would meet again in future finals.
Despite the defeat, the 21-year-old Gauff remained optimistic. “I think this is a step in the right direction,” she said. “It’s one of my favourite tournaments and one of my favourite cities.”
Sabalenka’s Madrid triumph reinforces her status as a leading force heading into the remainder of the clay season.
