Sabalenka knocked Swiatek off the podium at the Mutua Madrid Open

Aryna Sabalenka was crowned again in A magic box. The Belarusian beat the world’s first female tennis player, a Polish woman Iga Swiatek, in three sets (6-3, 3-6 and 6-3), in one of the best finals in living memory at the Women’s Masters 1,000 in Madrid, which lasted two hours and 25 minutes. First win since Sabalenka on clay against Swiatek, who he lost to in the Stuttgart final two weeks ago. Second title in Madrid for the 25-year-old Belarusian, who tied with Serena Williams and Simona Halep as two-time winners of the tournament in the Spanish capital.

On paper, it was the best final to be seen in a women’s team between two of the best players in the world and it did not disappoint. The first set had the expected tie for a match between two tennis players who know each other perfectly. In their own style, both players knew how to solve their serves until 4-3, when Sabalenka defeated the world’s number one tennis player with a sharp shot. The Belarusian confirmed the break with a backhand on the line and confirmed the break for the first set 6-3.

Swiatek, more unsuccessful than usual, especially in the last part of the first set, Manolo Santana was not on the court to get back into his mind, and boy did it work for him. The Pole started the second set with an additional point of intensity and confirmed that reaction by taking Sabalenka’s serve for 3-0.

However, the player Minsk He retaliated with a counterbreak, in the second set in which the Pole dominated, but in which the Belarusian was not overcome, as is usual in the first set. Swiatek began to better read Sabalenka’s serves, difficult to serve throughout the tournament, and closed out the second set with a home return that left the Belarusian standing as a statue.

It was easy to think that after Swiatek’s reaction, the balance would tip in her favor, but Sabalenka firmly refused. The Belarusian made another break at the beginning of the third set, but Swiatek fought back and leveled the match again. The Manolo Santana Court did not do justice to the level of tennis displayed by both players, who put on an exhibition rarely remembered at the Caja Mágica.

Sabalenka managed one more point in the last part of the match and used the moment of doubt of the world’s number one tennis player to steal her serve again. Swiatek saved as many as four match points in a never-ending final game that ended with Sabalenka beating the Pole for the first time in her clay-court career.

At 25, the Belarusian is enjoying the best season of her career after winning the Australian Open, the Masters 1000 in Madrid and winning her thirteenth WTA title. Swiatek, who until recently dominated the women’s circuit with an iron fist, now has a rival to contend with for the next decade.