Twelve months ago, Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka produced a masterpiece in the final of the Mutua Madrid Open.
In a high-quality duel that lasted three hours and 11 minutes, Swiatek saved three championship points to defeat her familiar foe 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(7) and capture the title at the Caja Magica for the first time, a Madrid Open release said.
The triumph saw Swiatek complete her set of trophies won at each of the tour’s biggest clay-court tournaments and the final fittingly earned WTA Match of the Year honours at the end of the season.
“Honestly, I just think about it from time to time, but not in a really specific way,” Swiatek told reporters on Wednesday ahead of the start of her title defence campaign.
“For sure it was a great match, and it’s just hard to relive it, because there are not many matches that are so intense and on such a high level.
“Sometimes the finals are actually a bit worse level than, I don’t know, quarter-finals or semis, because the players are a little bit tight.
“But me and Aryna, we put on a great show, for sure. Also for the fans I think it was great to watch it.”
It was certainly a great show and the fans most certainly loved it.
Sabalenka thrives in the conditions in Madrid, where she has won two titles from three finals reached.
She describes the Manolo Santana centre court as “huge” and that it “feels like a soccer stadium”.
“I love it. When it’s full it’s so enjoyable to play. It’s extra motivation for me to get to the last stages just so the stadium can get full and you can enjoy the whole atmosphere,” added the world No.1.
‘She just outplayed me’
Losing such a close battle like the one she did against Swiatek in Madrid last year could be a chilling experience for some but Sabalenka insists it’s not a match that haunts her, just because of well they both played.
“That match was a blockbuster, and I really enjoyed playing,” reflected Sabalenka, who opens her Madrid account this week against Anna Blinkova in round two.
“It was very intense, very long. If I can play like that in every match on clay, I think I have big chances to perform well on the clay court season this year.
“That was an amazing match, even though I lost it, and I was really upset with the result. But still I was like, this is nothing I can be upset with, to be honest. I did my best there, and she just, yeah, she just outplayed me.”
Sabalenka claimed her first title of 2025 in Miami last month and began her clay swing by reaching the final in Stuttgart last week, where she lost to eventual champion Jelena Ostapenko.
The three-time Grand Slam champion has been working on adding some variety to her powerful game, and she is looking forward to utilising those tools to a greater effect on the red dirt.
That match was, yeah, it was a blockbuster, and I really enjoyed playing, it was very intense, very long. If I can play like that in every match on clay, I think, yeah, I have big chances to perform well on the clay court season this year.
“I think maybe on clay it’s a bit easier (to introduce variety) because the game overall it’s a bit slower and you have extra time,” said Sabalenka.
“At the same time, like it’s easier and harder, because I have more time and I have more options in my head, and sometimes I get confused. But I think it’s all a learning process, and I’m not afraid to make mistakes.
“I think with time I will learn how to make the right decisions and it’s going to benefit my game. Actually, I think on the clay court it’s a good practice for those shots to make sure you pick the right one in the right moment.”
An exciting rematch
Swiatek has mastered the art of shot selection on clay – a surface on which she has won four Roland-Garros crowns.
The 23-year-old Pole lost to Ostapenko in the Stuttgart quarter-finals last week but is feeling good in practice ahead of her opener against Filipina teenager Alexandra Eala on Thursday.
“It’s nice to have these first days and first week of just grinding and practicing. I love that, especially on clay, because tennis for me it’s the most logical there, and also you can be more creative in terms of the tactics and everything, so I really enjoy that,” said Swiatek.
“I think when I feel like I can use this on a match court, for sure I am more relaxed. I just know my weapons, I know I always have a plan B in my defense, which sometimes is impossible on faster hard courts, for example. So I just use that and it gives me confidence for sure.”
Eala stunned Swiatek on her way to a historic semi-final showing in Miami last month but the 19-year-old is taking nothing for granted as she prepares for her rematch with the five-time major champion.
“I think Iga is an all-court player. I think she plays well on hard, she plays well on clay, she plays well on grass. But I definitely think that each match is a different story,” said Eala following her first-round victory over Viktoriya Tomova on Tuesday.
“Even if it’s against the same player, every time, doesn’t matter if I play her in the same time in Miami next year or in Madrid next year, it’s going to be a different story than the last one.”
Leave a Reply