- World No 2 Sabalenka bests No 1 Swiatek in final 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
- Victory is Belarusian’s first on clay against Pole
Aryna Sabalenka laid down a marker in the blossoming heavyweight rivalry in women’s tennis, maintaining her composure to secure her first clay-court triumph against Iga Swiatek and win the Madrid Open for the second time.
After three bruising sets Sabalenka, the No 2, edged out the No 1, Swiatek, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in a battle of the best players in the world. In the process, Sabalenka denied her rival the only big clay-court title she is yet to win.