Tennis star Aryna Sabalenka is heading into the Madrid Open with confidence, grit, and a point to prove. The world No. 1 says she’s feeling fired up for the clay court season — especially if she can channel the same firepower that took her to the brink of victory in last year’s unforgettable final against rival Iga Swiatek.
That match — dubbed WTA’s Match of the Year — saw Sabalenka narrowly miss out on the title after wasting three match points in a thrilling battle that still stings… just a little.
“That match was a blockbuster,” Sabalenka said on Wednesday. “It was intense, it was long, and I really enjoyed it. If I can play like that every match on clay, I have big chances this season.”
Now back in Madrid and chasing her third title at the Caja Mágica, Sabalenka is determined to flip the script. She’s fresh off a strong run in Stuttgart, where she made it to the final before falling to Jelena Ostapenko — another clay-court contender.
Although the 26-year-old has already secured two Grand Slam titles this year — at the US Open and Australian Open — she’s still hungry for her first clay-court trophy of 2025. Her last came at this very tournament in 2023.
Sabalenka’s campaign will kick off in round two, where she’ll face either Anna Blinkova or Panna Udvardy. But this year’s event isn’t just about revenge or rankings — it’s also ushering in a new era of tech on clay, as the tournament introduces live electronic line-calling for the first time on both the WTA and ATP tours.
While some players have embraced the accuracy and drama-free nature of Hawk-Eye Live, others aren’t convinced — especially when the replay doesn’t match the mark left on the dusty red court.
“I actually prefer the Hawk-Eye system to the referees,” Sabalenka said. “Sometimes the refs are hesitant to admit mistakes. So yeah, I trust the technology more.”
Elsewhere in the opening round, Petra Kvitova made her long-awaited return to clay after 17 months of maternity leave. But her comeback was cut short after blowing a 4–1 double-break lead, eventually losing 6–4, 6–0 to American Katie Volynets.
All eyes now turn to Sabalenka to see if she can turn her “almost” moment from last year into Madrid magic — and possibly kickstart a dominant run through the clay season.
