The world number 1 Iga Świątek defeated world number 2 Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the Masters 1000 of Madrid in three epic sets (7-5; 4-6; 7-6(7)).
The long-awaited confrontation between the two best players on the planet started breathtakingly. Świątek broke immediately before losing her serve (1-1). Following that quite unusual start, both players kept their respective serve (2-2). It took about 20 minutes to play merely four games in this high-stakes match.
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Sabalenka used her excellent serve to stay ahead (3-2) before getting three break points. Świątek saved all of them and equalised somehow (3-3), to the great relief of her numerous fans. At 5-5, Iga put some extra pressure on her opponent and managed to break at that deciding moment and quickly sealed the first set in her favour (7-5).
It did not take long for Sabalenka to react. The Belorussian broke immediately and took a 2-0 lead. But the Pole was not impressed and broke back straight away before saving a break point in the following game.
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Yet the tide turned again and the world number 2 converted her second break point to stay ahead (3-1). However, the Varsovian refused to let her guard down and broke back, before equalising at 3-3. Although Iga seemed to have done the most difficult, it is her rival who broke at the most crucial moment (5-4) and stole that fiercely-fought second set.
The third set was also tight as expected. At 1-1, the Pole got two break points, but they were courageously saved by the Belorussian, who stayed in front (3-1) and even pushed further with a break. This put the number 1 seed in a difficult position after being 7 points away from the title earlier in this epic final.
Once again, Świątek broke back and levelled the score (3-3). Both players were then about to break the record of their longest-ever match between each other, exceeding 2 and a half hours. At 4-4, Świątek pushed hard, but Sabalenka was saved yet again by her impressive serve. She even served an ace on a second serve to stay in front (5-4).
Shortly after, Aryna Sabalenka got not one but two match points at 6-5. Both heroically saved by the world number 1 who by doind so forced a tiebreak. Neutral spectators deserved no less than that after the legendary fight they had been witnessing so far.
Both champions neutralised each other until 5-5 as the tense atmosphere was reaching its climax. The Pole took the lead (6-5) and got a championship point which was immediately erased by an ace from Sabalenka (6-6). Incredible. A few seconds later, the Belorussian had a third championship point. But the Varsovian simply refused to be beaten and equalised, before having a second championship point herself. “1GA” made it this time and sealed the victory after three hours and a quarter of intense battle.
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The young Varsovian secures her number 1 spot even more following this remarkable achievement. Last year, Sabalenka denied her the title in the final. This time, she got her revenge. Iga proved once more that she is the queen of tennis in these mid-2020s.
Image: X(@JJLovesTennis)
Author: Sébastien Meuwissen
