The 2024 Mutua Madrid Open final featuring Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka is widely regarded as potentially the best among the 2,640 matches played on the Hologic WTA Tour last season.
This highly anticipated match featured the world`s top two players, who have consistently held the No. 1 ranking for over three years. Understandably, given the contrasting result for each, this monumental battle is recalled differently by the two athletes.
Reflecting on it recently, Iga Swiatek said she thinks about the match occasionally, but not in a detailed, specific way.
Aryna Sabalenka gave a similar response when asked, stating she hadn`t really thought about it extensively until that moment.
It was Swiatek who ultimately emerged victorious, securing the 2024 Mutua Madrid Open title with a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(7) win that lasted 3 hours and 11 minutes. A key moment was her saving three match points. This final was the longest of the season and one of only two where the winner saved match points – a rare blend of high quality and endurance.
However, a third consecutive Madrid final between these two rivals did not materialize this year. While Sabalenka reached the semifinal as planned, defeating Elina Svitolina 6-3, 7-5, Swiatek suffered a surprising and decisive 6-1, 6-1 loss to the fourth seed, Coco Gauff.
The unique environmental factors at Madrid`s La Caja Magica, specifically the thin air, tend to level the playing field. Swiatek, a four-time Roland Garros champion, is a master of standard slow clay courts. However, Madrid`s altitude causes the ball to travel faster, slightly diminishing her advantage on clay and amplifying Sabalenka`s powerful game.
Significantly, Sabalenka`s only two career clay court titles have come in Madrid (2021 and 2023), with the 2023 victory being over Swiatek in the final. Sabalenka boasts an impressive recent record in Madrid, having won 22 of her last 24 matches there.
Despite Swiatek`s dominance on European clay from 2020-2023, with multiple titles in Paris, Rome, and Stuttgart, the Madrid title had remained out of reach until 2024. Meanwhile, Sabalenka was attempting to equal Petra Kvitova`s record of three Madrid titles. Before the 2024 final, Swiatek led their head-to-head series 7-2 and had won her last seven finals dating back to her 2023 Madrid loss to Sabalenka.
After splitting the initial two sets, the match nearly concluded before the final-set tiebreak. With Swiatek serving at 5-6, Sabalenka created two match points.
Swiatek revealed that during this critical moment, she thought of her idol Rafael Nadal`s inspiring comeback from two sets down against Daniil Medvedev in the 2022 Australian Open final.
“I remember exactly when he was playing Medvedev in Australia, and it clicked for him,” Swiatek said. “That kind of gave me hope that maybe it will click, even after two hours.”
After successfully saving a total of three match points, Swiatek ultimately escaped the danger and sealed the victory when a backhand from Sabalenka landed long. Swiatek`s reaction was immediate, falling to the court with her hands covering her face in emotion.
Addressing the crowd, Swiatek exclaimed, “Who is going to say that women’s tennis is boring now?” She added graciously, “Congrats as well to Aryna because we both had an amazing effort today.”
Swiatek later commented that she was surprised by her mental state, feeling her best mentally in the third set despite feeling like she had to simply endure the first two hours without finding her rhythm.
Sabalenka, in contrast, maintained a composed demeanor in her post-match press conference.
“I’m going to suffer for a day, and tomorrow I’m leaving to Rome, so I’m going to forget it quickly,” she told reporters. “It’s my birthday tomorrow. I hope I’m going to be in a good mood.”
She then added with a touch of humor:
“I’m going to be in a bad mood. I am 26 tomorrow. It sucks.”
This triumph was Swiatek`s ninth WTA 1000 title and her 20th overall career title. She became the youngest player to reach the milestone of 20 titles since Caroline Wozniacki achieved it over a decade prior.
One year later, both players paid tribute to the high quality and intensity of the match.
“That match was, yeah, it was a ball-buster,” Sabalenka commented. “That was amazing match, even though I lost it. This is like nothing I can be upset with, to be honest. I did my best there, and she just outplayed me.”
Swiatek found it difficult to recall other matches of such intensity and high level. She noted that sometimes finals can be less skilled than earlier rounds due to player tension.
“But me and Aryna, we put on a great show, for sure. Also for the fans, I think it was great to watch it.”
