Three-time Mutua Madrid Open winner Aryna Sabalenka won her first clay-court match of the year against Peyton Stearns after completing a ‘sunshine double’. Won at Indian Wells and won at Miami.
Sabalenka Named Sportswoman of the Year at Monday’s Laureus AwardsIt was three weeks into the competition.
The world number one looked a bit rusty but cruised to a 7-5 6-3 win over American Peyton Stearns.
“It was a difficult game,” Sabalenka said. Sky Sports Tennis. “It was her first match on clay. She’s a great player and I felt this court really suited her game. The longer she stayed on the court, the better she felt and I really hope I can bring better tennis in the next match.
“We’re excited to bring the best tennis to this important moment.”
Former England No.1 Laura Robson:
“We’re expecting perfection most of the time, given Sabalenka’s number of match wins (24 wins, 1 loss in 2026). But we also have to take into account that she’s had some down time. Throughout this season, she’s really been picking and choosing which tournaments she wants to play in.
“After Miami, she wanted a few weeks off and came here and played at a high level against someone like Stearns, who throws a lot of balls at you and throws kick serves down the court, and I felt Sabalenka handled it really well.
“It wasn’t her best performance, but the good thing was that she was still winning in straight sets.
“The more she participates in these events, the more she becomes a favorite, so all things considered, she looks pretty comfortable today.”
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois sat in Sabalenka’s player’s box and asked how the four-time Grand Slam achievement was connected.
“I was supposed to go to a Real Madrid game last year and he messaged me to see if I would come and he was spending time with my boyfriend (Georgios Frangulis). I met him for the first time before the game. He’s a really nice guy and gave me great support,” Sabalenka said.
Courtois teamed up with Rafael Nadal, Jannik Sinner and Jude Bellingham for a photo opportunity at the Bernabeu.
The iconic stadium was transformed into a unique training venue for the tournament, with clay tennis courts installed to give tennis stars a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to train in a venue steeped in the sport’s history.
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Watch Rafael Jodar celebrate his Madrid Open win over Jesper De Jong with Real Madrid and England midfielder Jude Bellingham!
Swiatek sails to the Spanish capital.
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Highlights of the match between Iga Swiatek and Daria Snigur at the Madrid Open
2024 champion Iga Swiatek recorded a dominant 6-1 6-2 win over qualifier Daria Snigur in just 61 minutes.
The Wimbledon champion won six straight in the second set to advance to the next stage of the WTA 1000 in Madrid.
Swiatek, who learned Spanish in high school, was asked to say a few words. “Honestly, I should have learned more.” she joked. “By the way, how is Madrid?”
Swiatek, a huge fan of Nadal, admitted he felt a bit giddy when he trained at the Spanish academy in Mallorca and received coaching advice from the 22-time Grand Slam champion.
He has no official role and Swiatek said: “I don’t know if he’s watching or not. I know he’s very busy, I think even busier than when he’s playing.
“Even though we’re not in constant contact, it’s really comforting because I know I can ask him anything whenever I want, and it also shows what a great person he is.”
Meanwhile, Elina Svitolina suffered a shocking loss to Hungary’s Anna Bondar 6-3, 6-4.
She became the first Hungarian to defeat a top-10 opponent since Timea Babos defeated CoCo Vandeweghe in the first round of the 2018 Australian Open.
Svitolina, who advanced to the semifinals in Stuttgart last week, received treatment for an ankle injury during a medical timeout when she was down 3-2 in the second set.
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Highlights of Anna Bondar surprising Elina Svitolina
“I knew I had to bring my A game today,” Bondar said in an on-court interview. “I played against her three times last year so I knew what to expect.
“I think the conditions here suit my game really well. I like to use a heavy forehand, so I think that was one of the keys of the day.”
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