Photo credit: Matteo Villalba/Getty
Aryna Sabalenka celebrated her Madrid return unleashing red swarm attack.
Two-time champion Sabalenka stopped qualifier Anna Blinkova 6-3, 6-4 in her Madrid opener today.
World No. 1 Sabalenka saved six of seven break points in a 96-minute victory improving to 26-5 on the season.
Four days after falling to Jelena Ostapenko in the Stuttgart final, Sabalenka revved her competitive engine early, charging out to a 5-0 first-set lead and a 2-0 second-set lead.
The big-hitting Belarusian raised her record in Madrid openers to 4-3—every year Sabalenka has won her opener, she’s gone on to reach the final. That includes last year when Sabalenka held championship points before bowing to No. 1 Iga Swiatek.
Swiatek saved three championship points dethroning defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(7) in a pulsating three hour, 11-minute Mutua Madrid Open final that was arguably the best match of the 2024 WTA season.
Today, Sabalenka was explosive early and steady at closing time: She saved a break point before converting her first match point to end it.
Seven of Sabalenka’s 19 career championships have come on her preferred hard court with both clay-court crowns coming in Madrid in 2021 and 2023.
The top-seeded Sabalenka set up a third-round reunion with her good friend and former doubles partner, Elise Merterns. The winner of Sabalenka v. Mertens will meet either American Peyton Stearns or Rebeka Masarova in the round of 16.
World No. 39 Anastasia Potapova toppled Olympic gold-medal champion Zheng Qinwen 6-4, 6-4.
Potapova broke the world No. 8 in her first service game and last service game to wrap a 100-minute win.
Aggressive baseliner Potapova snapped an eight-match losing streak vs. Top 10 opponents scoring her first Top 10 win since she beat No. 7 Ons Jabeur at the 2023 San Diego.
Next up for Potapova is former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.
Kenin served 75 percent and permitted just seven points on first serve defeating Lulu Sun 6-3, 6-2 in 69 minutes.
In an all-American clash, Peyton Stearns converted her fourth match point fending off Doha champion Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 2-6, 7-5.
Hammering her heavy topspin forehand into the corners, Stearns broke serve seven times in a two hour, 15-minute victory.
Stearns will next play Swiss qualifier Rebeka Masarova, who defeated 22nd-seeded Yulia Putintseva 6-3, 6-3.
French Open finalist Jasmine Paolini needed only an hour to crush Katie Boulter, 6-1, 6-2. Paolini converted six of seven break points and permitted just seven points on second serve.