Kuznetsova ousts Sabalenka in Madrid for first big win of comeback

Svetlana Kuznetsova can still win big, especially if it's a big occasion.

The two-time Grand Slam champion defeated Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4, at the Mutua Madrid Open for her best win since returning from wrist surgery a few weeks ago. She's already considering its implications for the French Open.

"It just brings confidence before the French Open and everything. I'm not seeded, so I don't know who I'm going to get," Kuznetsova told WTATennis.com. "I realize this is what makes me play good.

"These big events are what brings the best of me.''

It's also a good sign for her comeback. The 33-year-old was off for more than six months with her wrist problems, which had bothered her for most of 2018. These are the types of matches she wasn't winning when she first returned, noted Kuznetsova.

"I don't have the rhythm," she said. "I feel much better than when I came from wrist surgery, because I was playing for six months with the pain.

"You start to get on yourself because you expect more, and this is where it's tough, and this is where it's [about] patience. This match gives me more confidence, like I'm playing on the level with the top players."

Kuznetsova is No. 109 in the WTA rankings.