World number 1 Iga Swiatek saved three championship points to dethrone Aryna Sabalenka in a classic 7-5 4-6 7-6 (9-7) at the Madrid Open on Saturday.
Sabalenka won the 2023 final in three sets but it was Swiatek who triumphed this time to win her 20th career title and deprive the Belarusian of a third title on the red clay of the Spanish capital.
It was the first match of the season between the top two in the women’s rankings and it lived up to expectations, becoming the longest meeting between the two Grand Slam champions at three hours and 11 minutes.
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Swiatek conjured up this winner in dramatic Madrid Open final in supreme fashion
“Aryna… in many other finals… it’s always a challenge to play against you,” Swiatek, a four-time Grand Slam champion, said during her on-court interview.
“Thank you for motivating me and forcing me to be a better player. I want to thank my team. I’ve had some really good speeches already, so I don’t know what else to say to make this happen. feels special. But I think what you saw on the pitch was pretty special anyway.
“Thank you for staying by my side through the ups and downs. For understanding and motivating me because without you I wouldn’t be here. I hope we continue to progress. That’s the most important thing at the end. I want to thank my family who are watching.”
Sabalenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, said: “Congratulations to Iga on another great tournament. You have done an incredible job. I hope next year it will come back to me. Three hours. It’s is long! I hope we recover quickly for the next tournament.”
Social media reaction to the epic finale
“Phenomenal tennis”
“The quality that they were able to display for over three hours was phenomenal. It was high quality material,” said Anne Keothavong on Sky Sports Tennis.
“It was a courageous performance from both players.”
What’s happening on Sky Sports Tennis?
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As the second Grand Slam of 2024 approaches – the French Open at Roland Garros from May 26 – you’ll be able to watch all of tennis’ biggest stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete throughout the clay court season.
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- Strasbourg Internationals (WTA 500 with Emma Raducanu in action) – May 20-26
- Moroccan Open (WTA 250) – May 20-26
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