Rybakina had everything in her hands but then she missed a routine forehand which could have given her a match point.

The victory notably saw Sabalenka halt Rybakina’s 17-match win streak on clay courts and set up a 2023 final rematch with world No. 1 Iga Swiatek. Rybakina had dominated her Brisbane final with the world No. 2 at the start of the season, dropping just three games. It looked like more of the same would play out until nerves crept in.

E lena Rybakina failing to close out the match against Aryna Sabalenka in a stunning way also had an impact on Coco Gauff as the American won't be making her top-2 debut on Monday. When the Madrid Open started, world No. 2 Sabalenka as the defending champion had 1,000 points to defend while third-ranked Gauff just 45.

Sabalenka needed to reach another final in Madrid to deny Gauff a rise in the rankings and that seemed unlikely as Ryabkina stormed to the first set 6-1 and was a break up in the second as she closed in on victory.

Aryna Sabalenka is having the time of her life at the Madrid Open. The post Madrid Open: Why Is Aryna Sabalenka Embraced by Scores of Fans in Spain? Exploring Her Chances of Defending the Title appeared first on EssentiallySports.

The Belarusian second seed triumphed 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 [7/5] and will face world number one Iga Swiatek on Saturday in a rematch of last year's final. The clinical Swiatek earlier eas

Twelve months on from their epic clash in the Spanish capital, once again it is Iga Swiatek versus Aryna Sabalenka in the Madrid Open final. The two have had contrasting roads to this stage – Swiatek has dropped a set in just one match,

The Belarusian second seed triumphed 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5) against Elena Rybakina. Read more at straitstimes.com.