MADRID — Defending Madrid Open champion Aryna Sabalenka produced a brilliant comeback from a set and a break down to beat Elena Rybakina and reach the final.
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.
Sabalenka, 25, sealed her victory with a typically powerful serve that Rybakina could not control.
The big-hitter had lost three of her last four clashes against the 24-year-old but emerged triumphant as they met on clay for the first time.
“I don’t know how, but somehow I was able to stay alive in the second set,” said Sabalenka, aiming for a third Madrid Open title in her third final.
Swiatek of Poland cruised to a straight-set win over Madison Keys to reach the Madrid Open final for the second consecutive year.
World No.1 Swiatek beat 20th-ranked Keys 6-1, 6-3 in the semi-finals. “It was a pretty clean performance and really solid game from myself,” Swiatek said according to AP. “I´m happy with everything.”
The Madrid Open is the only high-profile European clay-court competition that Swiatek has yet to win.
It will be the third final of the year for Swiatek after titles in Indian Wells and Doha.
“I´m happy that we can play a final against the top players,” Swiatek said. “It shows consistency. For sure it´s going to be a challenge, whoever it´s going to be, and a tough match. I will be ready. I will focus on myself.”
Sabalenka defeated Swiatek in the Madrid final last year.
Keys said she was disappointed but there were “a lot of really great things to take from the tournament” in the Spanish capital.
“It´s been a while since I have won four matches in a row. Lots to build on. It´s obviously great momentum going into Rome next week,” she said.
“It´s obviously only my fourth tournament back after the shoulder injury, so to do so well here and to be able to play some tough matches and have some three-set matches and be physically 100% still and being able to look forward to Rome and hopefully play some good tennis there is a huge positive.”
American Keys was hoping to extend her successful run in Madrid, having already notched two Top 10 wins over Coco Gauff and Ons Jabeur in the previous rounds.
Keys had already proved she could defeat Swiatek — her lone previous win over a reigning World No.1 (in six attempts) was over Swiatek at 2022 Cincinnati.
However, Swiatek took command early and never let up, saving all three of the break points she faced.
Swiatek also won 64 per cent of points returning the Keys second serve, leading to a 4-for-5 break point conversion rate.
Swiatek improved to 3-1 versus Keys in their head-to-head, and the World No.1 collected her 29th win of the season — only Elena Rybakina has more match-wins than Swiatek in 2024. Swiatek is also 5-0 against players from the United States this year.
After a hot start by Swiatek to 3-0, Keys came close to quickly pulling back on serve. The American blasted three fiery forehands in a row to reach double break point on Swiatek’s serve at 3-1.
However, Swiatek found a couple of her best serves of the day to fend off those chances, and the top seed gritted out a tough hold for 4-1. From there, Swiatek was unchallenged in the opener as she eased to the one-set lead.
The second set progressed in a similar vein. Swiatek moved ahead by an early break, carving a passing winner to lead 2-1. Keys held another break point to pull back on serve in the next game, but Swiatek survived it and retained her advantage.
At 5-3, a huge forehand service return gave Swiatek triple match point. The No.1 seed only needed one of those chances, after Keys sent a forehand long to end the encounter.
Czech Jiri Lehecka progressed to the semi-finals of the Madrid Open after world number four Daniil Medvedev quit the match with a groin problem after losing the first set.
Third seed Medvedev requested a medical time out due while leading 3-2 and continued to visibly struggle to move after coming back onto the court.
Lehecka, who knocked out Rafa Nadal in the last 16, then broke Medvedev to take a 4-5 lead and took the set 6-4 before Medvedev told the umpire he could not continue the match.
The 23-year-old Canadian was due to face top seed Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals but the Italian pulled out from the tournament with a right hip injury.
