Aryna Sabalenka Beats Iga Swiatek In Thrilling Madrid Final
Locker Room
May 7, 2023
Aryna Sabalenka finally prevailed over Iga Swiatek in a marvellous final in Madrid.
The 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 score-line didn’t do justice to the power and subtlety shown by both women in the Spanish capital.
Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek seemed to take women’s tennis to a new level at times – and that augurs well for Wimbledon 2023!
The women’s final on the second Saturday of Wimbledon is often quite mind-blowing for its ferocity and the quality of the entertainment on offer.
No wonder the women are paid as much as their male counterparts at Grand Slams these days. You only had to watch the Madrid showpiece to see they are worth every penny they earn.
Sabalenka scored her first win over Swiatek on clay – and that makes the forthcoming French Open even more interesting.
It was the second title she had won in Madrid, her third of the season and 13th title of her career.
The most famous of those triumphs was of course at the last Grand Slam, where she became Australian Open champion.
Could Sabalenka be in line for Roland Garros glory too?
That will depend on how well the 25-year-old masters her temperament on the big occasion.
Even in the first set in Spain, she grew frustrated when she squandered opportunities.
And yet Sabalenka is constantly growing in maturity – and she seems to find the answers inside her head more often than not.
In Spain she dealt with Swiatek’s ominous comeback impressively, ending the Pole’s run of winning games at just the right time.
Indeed Swiatek seems to be inspiring Sabalenka to even greater heights.
Aryna affirmed: ‘I definitely respect her a lot. She has really motivated me a lot to improve, to keep working hard, to keep fighting. We always have great matches.’
Swiatek beat Sabalenka in the final in Stuttgart not long ago.
Will Aryna Sabalenka play Iga Swiatek again at Wimbledon 2023?
Wherever they come up against each other, you can bet it will be an explosive affair.
Will you be at Wimbledon 2023?
The Men’s final always seems to be the most sought-after event.
But don’t underestimate the women’s final – because an historic afternoon on the famous Centre Court will leave you memories to last a lifetime