Sabalenka Outpowers Gauff to Win Third Madrid Open Title in Straight Sets

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka proved her dominance on clay once again by defeating Coco Gauff 6-3, 7-6(3) to capture her third Madrid Open title on Saturday. The Belarusian powerhouse added another prestigious WTA 1000 trophy to her already stellar 2024 campaign, which includes earlier wins in Brisbane and Miami.

With this victory, Sabalenka notched her 31st tour win of the year—a season-leading stat—and celebrated her sixth final appearance of 2024. Remarkably, this was her fourth Madrid Open final in five years, a tournament she has now won in 2021, 2023, and 2024.

First Set Domination: Sabalenka Overwhelms Gauff Early

The highly anticipated clash between two Grand Slam champions began with Gauff holding serve, but Sabalenka quickly seized momentum. Winning 17 consecutive points, she broke Gauff in the third and fifth games to race to a 4-1 lead, showcasing her trademark aggressive baseline play and powerful returns.

Although Gauff, the reigning 2023 US Open champion, briefly responded with a break of her own, Sabalenka closed out the set in commanding fashion after just 35 minutes, capitalizing on Gauff’s wide slice at set point.

Second Set Battle: Tie-Break Triumph

Determined not to go down without a fight, Gauff returned in the second set with renewed energy, breaking Sabalenka to take a 3-1 lead. The American held her ground in multiple pressure moments, saving break points and varying her serve to keep Sabalenka guessing.

Serving for the set at 5-4, however, Gauff faltered, committing two double faults and gifting Sabalenka three break points. In a bizarre moment, Sabalenka even dropped her racquet mid-rally, causing laughter from the crowd, but Gauff initially held firm.

Eventually, Sabalenka leveled the set and pushed it to a tie-break, where her experience and composure shone through. She surged ahead with two mini-breaks, and after Gauff clawed back briefly, the match ended on a disappointing note for the American — a double fault that handed Sabalenka the championship.

Historic Win and Rivalry Levelled

With the win, Sabalenka equalized her head-to-head record with Gauff at 5-5 and matched Petra Kvitova’s record of three Madrid Open titles in the WTA era. The Australian Open finalist continues to cement her legacy as one of the most formidable players on clay and is now among the favorites heading into Roland Garros.

“This is just the beginning,” Sabalenka said, smiling during her victory speech. “Coco, I’m sure we’ll see each other in many more finals… although I hope I win them all.”

Gauff, gracious in defeat, praised her opponent and reflected on her own performance. “I think this is a step in the right direction,” she said. “This tournament is one of my favorites, and I always enjoy playing in Madrid.”