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World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka withstood a second-set charge from No. 4 Coco Gauff to win 6-3, 7-6 (3) and earn her record-tying third Mutua Madrid Open title on Saturday.

Sabalenka started out strong, winning four straight games without conceding a point and building a dominant 4-1 lead. Gauff battled back with a break before the Belarussian broke again with her second set point to finish off the first set, 6-3, in 35 minutes.

The second set proved more of a challenge for Sabalenka. Gauff switched up her serve more and secured a break for a 3-1 advantage before saving two break points for a 4-2 lead.

However, when Gauff had a chance to put away the set at 5-4, she twice double faulted, allowing Sabalenka to break back and ultimately win in a tiebreak on Gauff’s eighth double fault.

“I’m super happy that I was able to handle my emotions at the end of the second set. It was really intense and it was a real fight over there,” Sabalenka told the Tennis Channel after the match. “I’m very happy I was able to close this match in two sets.

It was Sabalenka’s fourth Madrid final in the past five years, having won in 2021 and 2023 and falling last year to Iga Swiatek, who was dominated by Gauff in a 6-1, 6-1 semifinal loss Thursday.

Sabalenka tied Czech Petra Kvitova for most Madrid titles. Kvitova won in 2011, 2015 and 2018.

Sabalenka’s win marks her third WTA title of the year. She also won in Brisbane and Miami, joining Serena Williams (2013) as the only players to win Miami and Madrid in the same season.

“I saw she (Gauff) was struggling a bit in the beginning of the year and I’m happy that she made it to the finals and I’m happy she’s finding her rhythm,” Sabalenka said.

Gauff and Sabalenka now have an even head-to-head record with five wins apiece. Gauff beat Sabalenka in their only other meeting on clay, in 2021 in Rome.

“I’d like to congratulate Aryna on an incredible tournament. You’re always tough to face,” Gauff said after the match. “Congrats to your team. … Congrats on all the success you’ve been having.”

It was the first Madrid final for the 21-year-old who is looking for her first title of 2025. That will have to wait, but Gauff said, “I think this is a step in the right direction.”

–Field Level Media