WTA 1000 MADRID .Spain
No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka beat No. 4 Coco Gauff in straight sets to win her record-tying third Madrid Open and 20th career title on Saturday.
Sabalenka powered through the first set and edged the American in a tiebreaker for 6-3, 7-6 (3) on the Caja Mágica clay court.
There was still little to separate them as Gauff recovered from 3-0 to make it 3-3 but a double fault gave 26-year-old Sabalenka the victory.
Both came into the final confidently, with Belarusian Sabalenka as the world’s best and Gauff coming off the back of her stunning semi-final win over Iga Swiatek.
Sabalenka made a flying start, which included 17 points won in a row, but Gauff’s brave recovery saw her take a 5-3 lead in the second set.
The 21-year-old American then saved six break points to thwart Sabalenka’s comeback after she had made it 5-5.
Sabalenka added to titles in Madrid in 2021 and 2023 and equaled Petra Kvitova’s tournament record. It was also Sabalenka’s tour-leading third title of the year after Brisbane and Miami