Aryna Sabalenka storms back against Elena Rybakina for Madrid final rematch with Swiatek

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka looked to be on her way out of the Mutua Madrid Open late Thursday evening.

Her opponent, Elena Rybakina, was two points from closing out another comprehensive win when she framed a sitting forehand.

"It was just a regular ball. I think that I choose the correct angle and everything. It's just I went for too much and it went wide," Rybakina would later tell press.

The miss would prove to be match-changing. Sabalenka seized an opportunity to extend proceedings, then won a lights-out serving battle in a deciding set to prevail, 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5).

"I was struggling a lot on my serve in the first set, and definitely kind of easy games on my serve gave me a bit more belief that I still got some chances in this match," felt Sabalenka.

The victory notably saw Sabalenka halt Rybakina’s 16-match win streak on clay courts and set up a 2023 final rematch with top-ranked Iga Swiatek.

Rybakina had dominated her Brisbane final with the world No. 2 at the start of the season, dropping just three games. It looked like more of the same would play out until nerves crept in.

Up 2-1, Rybakina unloaded a forehand on the run to create 15-30. Sabalenka double-faulted for the second time in the game, perhaps feeling the weight of the consistent deep strikes coming her way.

The Kazakh broke by stretching Sabalenka to each corner of the court. Saving a break point before consolidating, Rybakina closed out a five-game run with a love hold.

While Sabalenka held to open set two, she found herself in the same position after three games—down a break.

Rybakina’s disguise at the line served (no pun intended) her well in staving off a trio of break points for 3-1. But the Belarusian didn’t go away quietly, eventually getting herself back on even terms with a booming backhand winner.

Sabalenka immediately went down 0-40 in the following game, and though a pair of break points were resuced, she couldn’t withstand Rybakina’s ball-striking in dropping serve for the fourth time. That was just the beginning of a surprising turn of events.

A tense game of hitting from Rybakina, which included the aformentioned forehand, provided Sabalenka with new life in the clash. Rybakina, now struggling with confidence in making first serves and finishing shots, suddenly faced two set points at 5-6. While Rybakina recovered for a chance to force a tie-break, Sabalenka would not be denied. Creating a third set point with a crosscourt forehand winner, Sabalenka leveled when her tightening adversary ran through a volley.

"I was feeling that she raised the level in the second set, and I also didn't stay maybe aggressive in some moments, maybe playing a bit too passive. I should have maybe stepped in a bit more," assessed Rybakina.

When the decider commenced, both put on a masterclass in serving. From 2-2, four consecutive love holds were posted and by the time 5-5 arrived, each competitor had won five of 25 return points.

Rybakina couldn't capitalize on two looks to again put the match on her racquet, the second the more disheartening when she pushed a forehand long.

The decisive tiebreaker began with Sabalenka's defense to offense yielding a 2-0 start. She backed up the mini-break for 4-1, then poured it on by producing a backhand return winner up the line.

Having saved two match points in her previous round with Yulia Putintseva, Rybakina couldn't erase three against Sabalenka after closing 3-6 to 5-6. Sabalenka reached back for a massive serve out wide to seal the deal.

"For me, it works better when I go for my shots and when I risk sometimes," said Sabalenka.

Moving within a victory of raising a third Madrid trophy in four years, Sabalenka also prevented Coco Gauff from overtaking her for No. 2 on next week's rankings.