World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka secured a more straightforward victory over Peyton Stearns at the Mutua Madrid Open on Tuesday, contrasting with their previous close encounter where Stearns nearly caused an upset.
Sabalenka, ranked world No. 1, defeated the 44th-ranked American 6-2, 6-4 at the Caja Magica venue. This win propelled her into the Madrid quarterfinals for the fourth time in the past five years. A two-time champion here (2021, 2023), Sabalenka`s career win tally at the Madrid Open now stands at 20.
With this victory, Sabalenka is now the sole leader in tour-level match wins for the current season. Her 28th win puts her one ahead of Jessica Pegula, who has 27 tour wins.
The top seed will advance to face the winner of the late match between 24th seed Marta Kostyuk and World No. 39 Anastasia Potapova. Sabalenka holds a favorable head-to-head record against both potential opponents: 2-0 versus Kostyuk and 1-0 versus Potapova.
Rematch Analysis
In their only previous encounter at Indian Wells in 2024, Stearns pushed Sabalenka, then ranked World No. 2, to the brink. Stearns even served for the match twice and held four match points before Sabalenka ultimately won in a deciding set tiebreak.
Despite the seemingly straightforward scoreline (6-2, 6-4), the match was competitive, with Stearns creating numerous chances in Sabalenka`s service games. However, Sabalenka demonstrated resilience on crucial points. She maintains an undefeated record (14-0) this season against players ranked outside the Top 40.
Saving Break Points
Sabalenka`s ability to handle pressure on break points was key to securing the first set score, which appeared routine despite the challenging games.
Stearns had a remarkable 10 break point opportunities in the first set, but Sabalenka saved all of them. While her first-serve percentage was only 53% in the opener, she was highly effective when the first serve landed in, winning 83% of those points, which proved crucial in denying Stearns.
Stearns finally broke serve on her 13th attempt in the second set, leveling the score at 3-3. She then held serve to take a 4-3 lead, raising the possibility of another lengthy three-set battle similar to their previous match.
However, Sabalenka responded strongly, hitting powerful and precise shots to win the next three games consecutively and seal the victory. Overall, Sabalenka converted four out of seven break points she earned, while hitting 22 winners compared to Stearns` 13.
