Looking back at the 2,640 matches on the Hologic WTA Tour last year, the 2024 Mutua Madrid Open final between Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka stands out as possibly the greatest. The match featured the top two players in the world, who have held the No. 1 ranking consistently for over three years. Given the dramatic outcome, it’s no surprise that the encounter holds different significance for each participant.
When asked about the match recently, Iga Swiatek admitted, “Honestly, I just think about it from time to time, but not in a really specific way.” Aryna Sabalenka gave a similar reply to the same question, saying, “Honestly, I didn’t really think about it that much until this moment.”
In that memorable final, Swiatek saved three match points before ultimately winning 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(7) in a grueling 3 hours and 11 minutes, securing the 2024 Madrid title. It was the longest final of the season and one of only two where the winner saved match points, highlighting both the high level of play and the endurance displayed.
With both players reaching this year`s semifinals, there`s an exciting possibility of a third consecutive Madrid final showdown between them. For this to happen, Sabalenka must defeat 17th seed Elina Svitolina, and Swiatek must overcome 4th seed Coco Gauff.
Meeting in the same WTA tournament final for three consecutive years would be a rare feat, not seen in a quarter-century. The last occurrence on clay was in 1994, when Arantxa Sanchez Vicario beat Steffi Graf in a third-set tiebreaker in Hamburg, ending Graf’s impressive 36-match winning streak.
Last year, the unique conditions at La Caja Magica created a more balanced playing field. Swiatek, a four-time Roland Garros champion, is known for her mastery of slow clay, but Madrid’s high altitude makes the ball travel faster. This neutralizes some of Swiatek`s typical clay advantage and enhances Sabalenka’s powerful shots.
It`s noteworthy that Aryna Sabalenka`s only two career clay titles were won in Madrid (in 2021 and 2023), with the 2023 victory coming against Swiatek in the final. Despite Swiatek`s dominance on European clay from 2020-23, winning multiple times in Paris, Rome, and Stuttgart, the Madrid title had eluded her before 2024. Meanwhile, Sabalenka was attempting to equal Petra Kvitova’s record of three Madrid championships. Before the match, Swiatek led their head-to-head record 7-2 and had won her last seven finals since losing to Sabalenka in Madrid the previous year.
After splitting the first two sets, the match almost concluded before the decisive third-set tiebreaker. With Swiatek serving at 5-6, Sabalenka held two match points.
Swiatek drew inspiration from Rafael Nadal’s comeback from two sets down in the 2022 Australian Open final against Daniil Medvedev.
Reflecting on her idol, Swiatek stated, “I remember exactly when he was playing Medvedev in Australia, and it clicked for him. That kind of gave me hope that maybe it will click, even after two hours.”
After successfully defending a total of three match points, Swiatek ultimately prevailed when Sabalenka`s backhand landed long. Swiatek immediately fell to the court, covering her face in disbelief and triumph.
Speaking to the crowd, Swiatek famously declared, “Who is going to say that women’s tennis is boring now?” She also generously congratulated Aryna, acknowledging their shared “amazing effort” on court.
Later, Swiatek commented on her surprising mental resilience, observing, “I was surprised that in the third set I felt the best mentally. Because, yeah, I actually felt like I needed to dig through for these two hours and it didn’t really work. I was, like, `Oh, my God, am I going to feel a little bit more loose soon?’ ”
Sabalenka, despite the tough loss, remained composed. She told reporters she would “suffer for a day” but planned to “forget it quickly” as she was traveling to Rome the next day. She initially expressed hope for a good mood on her upcoming birthday, but then humorously added that she would be in a bad mood because turning 26 “sucks.”
The victory was Swiatek’s ninth WTA 1000 title and 20th overall career title. She became the youngest player to reach 20 titles since Caroline Wozniacki achieved the milestone twelve years prior.
A year later, both players reflected positively on the match. Sabalenka called it a “ball-buster” and an “amazing match,” stating she couldn`t be upset despite losing because she felt she gave her best and Swiatek “just outplayed” her.
Swiatek shared her perspective, finding it difficult to fully recall such an intense and high-level match. She noted that finals can sometimes be affected by player tension, but felt that she and Aryna “put on a great show, for sure,” which she believed was also “great to watch” for the fans.
Rupert Caldwell