Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka staged a remarkable comeback against world number four, Elena Rybakina to set up a Madrid Open final with Iga Swiatek.
The Belarusian second seed fought back from a set and a break down to win 1-6 7-5 7-6 (7-5). Sabalenka will be gunning for a hatrick of titles in Madrid as she faces world number one Swiatek in a repeat of last year’s final.
The Pole eased into the final Madrid showpiece earlier on Thursday with a 6-1 6-3 domination of Madison Keys in just over an hour.
“It’s definitely going to be a great battle,” Sabalenka said in her post-match interview. “We always fight as hard as we can, always incredible matches. I’m really looking forward to this final and I’m going to do everything I can to get this win.”
Sabalenka looked like a shadow of herself in the first set only able to take a game off the menacing Kazakh. She looked to be down out after she was broken in the third of the second set but she rallied around to break her opponent thrice to send the match into a decider
Both held on to their serve in the final set to set up a photo-finish tiebreaker which was eventually decided by Sabalenka’s forehand.
Sabalenka is bidding to become just the second player to win three women’s singles titles in Madrid after Petra Kvitova.
The world number two said after the match, “It’s a super special place for me, I feel the support and today, honestly, if not for the people I would probably leave this court with a 6-1 6-1 [defeat] and be very sad.”
The victory ensures Sabalenka remains world number two ahead of America’s Coco Gauff and is on course to become only the second player to win a hattrick of titles in Madrid after Petra Kvitova