Photo credit: Mutua Madrid Open Facebook
A cluster of clouds clogged the sky over Manolo Santana Stadium as Aryna Sabalenka saw the title light.
Unleashing flashy strikes, Sabalenka solidified her status as Queen of Madrid.
World No. 1 Sabalenka stopped Coco Gauff 6-3, 7-6(3) to capture her 20th career championship, including a record-tying third Mutua Madrid Open crown.
"I've been working really hard and improving my game on bringing variety into my game, I think that's the biggest key in most of the matches right now," Sabalenka told the media in Madrid. "I'm super happy that we were able to improve my game in, honestly, in everything, the movement, my touch game is much better right now, I trust my touch game much more right now also. Kind of like trying to come to the net, I'm not sure if it's really successful so far, but I'm trying (laughing).
"I think it's always work on yourself, and always looking for something to improve and get better at."
It was a photo finish for Sabalenka, who pulled a pink camera out of her racquet bag and ran over to the corner of the court to take a victory selfie with her ecstatic coaching team.
Sabalenka, who celebrates her 27th birthday on Monday, has a lot to smile about. She surrendered just one set in six tournament wins—that was to former doubles partner Elise Mertens in round three—saved set point in both sets of her 7-6, 7-6 quarterfinal conquest of Marta Kostyuk and saved a set point today.
A focused Sabalenka, who failed to convert championship point bowing to Iga Swiatek in the 2024 Madrid final, had all the answers today.
“I want to congrats Coco and her team on an incredible two weeks of tennis,” Sabalenka said. “I’m pretty sure we’re gonna play more times in the finals, I’m always happy to see you in the finals you’re such a fighter happy to see you back.”
On her second championship point, Sabalenka closed when Gauff netted her eighth double fault. Sabalenka equals Petra Kvitova winning her third Madrid title.
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The reigning US Open champion played bigger, bolder tennis and bullied Gauff’s second serve for much of this match. Still, Gauff, who dethroned defending champion Iga Swiatek 6-1, 6-1 in Thursday’s semifinals, hung tough saving nine of 13 break points and nearly taking it three sets.
"She started off strong. I did feel like I had to take some risk on my second serve, so hence the doubles," Gauff told the media in Madrid. "My first serve percentage wasn't great today, so I think if I had a better first serve percentage it could have been a better match, or at least a better result in that first and second set.
"My first serve has been such a weapon this week, so just wish I could have served better today."
Sabalenka saved a set point at 4-5 on Gauff’s serve exploiting a couple of double faults in that game to break back.
A red-hot Sabalenka raised her record to a WTA-best 31-5 and reinforced her reputation as the favorite to dispatch the second-ranked Swiatek for the Roland Garros title.
Armed with a 10-1 career finals record as she took the court, Gauff played some of her most dynamic clay-court tennis defeating Belinda Bencic, Indian Wells champion Mirra Andreeva and Swiatek in succession.
Today, Sabalenka commanded the center of the court snapping Gauff’s streak of seven straight finals wins.
"I hate losing a lot, and especially in finals, because it's like you're so close," Gauff said. "I do get ready for these matches and, yeah, I credit it to just how much I hate losing.
"I don't know, today was tough, but obviously if I can lose this and go a few more finals undefeated I'll take that.
" Each time it's a learning experience, and maybe I needed to feel this loss again to be motivated again, even more motivated for the next one."
Contesting her sixth final in eight tournaments this season, Sabalenka brought bold all-court aggression to rock Gauff back on her heels at the outset.
Sabalenka stormed through 17 consecutive points pounding penetrating returns off Gauff’s second serve to surge out to a 4-1 double-break lead. A rattled Gauff double faulted, gifting a second straight love break to the Belarusian.
Seemingly shell-shocked by the top seed’s dominant spree, Gauff hit reset. Coaxing netted errors from her opponent, Gauff converted her second break point to break back in the sixth game.
The fourth seed held at 30 reducing Sabalenka’s lead to 4-3.
Madrid fans, including Hall of Famer Stefan Edberg and two-time Indian Wells champion Danielle Hantuchova were making more noise as Gauff reached deuce in the eighth game.
The top seed scorched an ace down the T holding for 5-3 to quiet the uprising. Gauff could not defend her second serve from the Sabalenka onslaught. On Sabalenka’s second set point she closed when Gauff scattered a feeble drop-shot attempt wide.
The Miami Open champion won 10 of 14 points played on Gauff’s second serve and broke three times breezing to a one-set lead in 35 minutes.
About the only thing Sabalenka didn’t do well today is drop shot.
While she repeatedly backed the American up, Sabalenka’s drop shot attempts were often judgment errors against the game’s fastest player. Running down a dropper, Gauff spin a forehand pass down the line breaking at love for a 2-1 second-set lead.
The fourth seed spun a forehand crosscourt backing up the break for a 3-1 lead.
Serving to force a decider at 5-4, Gauff spit up her seventh double fault to fall into triple break point hole.
The WTA Finals champion fought off all three then curled a crosscourt forehand for set point. Gauff netted a backhand on set point then could not control her forehand under pressure. Sabalenka converted her fifth break point to break back for 5-all.
From love-30 down, the big-hitting Belarusian burst through four points in a row to snatch a 6-5 lead.
Staring down a championship point in the 12th game, Gauff dodged it when Sabalenka sent a return beyond the baseline. Gauff crunched a crosscourt forehand that helped her hold to force the tiebreaker.
Deadlocked at 3-all in the breaker, Gauff’s forehand failed her. On a mid-court ball, she knocked a forehand into the tope of the tape.
Exploiting that miscue, Sabalenka slammed successive wide serves for three more championship points at 6-3.
Gauff spun her eighth double fault into net to end the 99-minute final.
Sabalenka leveled her head-to-head record vs. Gauff at 5-5 and raised her record against Top 10 opponents to 6-0 this season as she will be tough to beat in Paris.
Rome and Paris await and Sabalenka says she's up for the challenge.
"I hope it's going to be different," said Sabalenka, who lost to Mirra Andreeva in Paris last year. "Honestly, I just have more confidence in my game on the clay court. I had really tough battles in the past in the last stages of the tournament. I was there in the semis and I was like really close to make it to the finals. I don't know, I just going to go out there and compete and fight.
"Physically and mentally I'm ready to work for every point as much as I have to work, and I really hope that this year is going to be different."