Among the 2,640 matches played on the Hologic WTA Tour last season, the 2024 Mutua Madrid Open final might stand out as the absolute best. This spectacular contest featured the world`s top two players, who have consistently held the number one ranking for over three years.
Given the thrilling outcome, it`s perhaps unsurprising that this epic showdown is recalled quite differently by the two competitors involved.
Honestly, I just think about it from time to time, but not in a really specific way,
Iga Swiatek commented last week when the topic arose.
When Aryna Sabalenka was asked the same question, her reply was similar: Honestly, I didn’t really think about it that much until this moment.
Ultimately, it was Swiatek who claimed the 2024 Mutua Madrid Open title, winning 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(7) in a grueling 3 hours and 11 minutes, after remarkably saving three match points. This final was the longest of the previous season and one of only two where the champion had to save championship points, showcasing a rare combination of high-level play and sheer drama.
With both players having advanced to Thursday’s semifinals in the current tournament, there’s an exciting possibility they could meet in the Madrid final for the third consecutive year. To achieve this, Sabalenka must win her semifinal against Elina Svitolina, while Swiatek faces Coco Gauff.
Such a sequence of three consecutive finals between the same two players in any WTA tournament is incredibly rare, the first in a quarter-century.
The last time this happened on clay was in 1994 when Arantxa Sanchez Vicario defeated Steffi Graf in a third-set tiebreaker in Hamburg, ending Graf`s impressive 36-match winning streak.
A year ago, the distinct atmospheric conditions at La Caja Magica created a more balanced playing field. Swiatek, a four-time champion at Roland Garros, is renowned for her skill on slow red clay. However, Madrid`s thinner air causes the ball to travel faster, slightly neutralizing her usual clay-court advantage and boosting Sabalenka’s powerful game.
It’s no coincidence that Sabalenka’s only two career clay titles were won specifically here in Madrid, in 2021 and 2023, with her second title coming at Swiatek`s expense in that final. Before the 2024 final, Swiatek held a 7-2 head-to-head record against Sabalenka and had won her last seven finals since that loss in Madrid the previous year.
After the first two sets were split, the match nearly concluded before the third-set tiebreak. With Swiatek serving at 5-6, Sabalenka managed to force two match points.
At that crucial moment, Swiatek recalled the memory of her idol, Rafael Nadal, coming back from two sets down against Daniil Medvedev in the 2022 Australian Open final.
I remember exactly when he was playing Medvedev in Australia, and it clicked for him,
Swiatek said of Nadal. That kind of gave me hope that maybe it will click, even after two hours.
After successfully saving a total of three match points during the encounter, Swiatek ultimately escaped and secured the win when a backhand shot from Sabalenka landed long. Swiatek then fell to the court, covering her face in disbelief and triumph.
Who is going to say that women’s tennis is boring now?
Swiatek exclaimed to the cheering crowd. She was also gracious to her opponent, adding, Congrats as well to Aryna because we both had an amazing effort today.
Swiatek later reflected, expressing surprise that she felt mentally strongest in the decisive third set. She explained, 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, in contrast, reacted with composure.
I’m going to suffer for a day, and tomorrow I’m leaving to Rome, so I’m going to forget it quickly,
Sabalenka told reporters. She noted that her birthday was the next day, adding, I hope I’m going to be in a good mood.
Then she lightened the mood with a slight change of tone.
I’m going to be in a bad mood. I am 26 tomorrow. It sucks.
The victory marked Swiatek`s ninth WTA 1000 title and her 20th career title overall. She became the youngest player since Caroline Wozniacki, twelve years earlier, to reach this milestone of 20 titles.
A year later, both athletes paid tribute to the quality of the match.
That match was, yeah, it was a ball-buster,
Sabalenka admitted. That was amazing match, even though I lost it. This is like nothing I can be upset with, to be honest. I did my best there, and she just outplayed me.
Swiatek shared her perspective: It’s hard to relive it, because there are not many matches that are so intense and on such a high level. Sometimes the finals are actually a bit worse level than quarterfinals or semis, because the players are a little bit tight.
She concluded, But me and Aryna, we put on a great show, for sure. Also for the fans, I think it was great to watch it.
